Making Changes 4: Enlightenment
The following morning, Minato Amamiya is seen approaching the front door of the Amamiya Residence. As he makes his way to the front door he takes two things out from his pockets; two small ring boxes with rose gold rings with a jewel on them. One ring had a ruby, red being Mana's favorite color, while the other had a sapphire, blue being Mitsu's favorite color. Minato stares at the wedding rings with pride as he finally approaches the front door.
"Oh yeah, they're going to like this," Minato said with a smile on his face.
Minato put the rings away in his pockets before entering the house and making his way up to his bedroom.
As that was going on, we see Ren and Ann talking in the living room with Morgana right next to them. It turns out Ann has a plan in the works to dissuade Kimiko from moving out.
"You want to do what now?" Ren asked.
"Kimiko's not ready to go out on her own just yet," Ann said, "So I have a plan to keep her here. As I'm sure you've heard from Ryuji's social media, Hotaru just offered Himari an invitation for her to come with him to his new job in Los Angeles. In the event Himari says yes, Ryuji is going to need a 'replacement' for her. That's where Kimiko comes in. Ryuji is going to invite Kimiko to spend the day with him. What I'm hoping happens is Kimiko realizes that Ryuji is going to miss Himari enough that she'll want to stay here in Tokyo for the sake of Ryuji's mental health. Not to mention, where Ryuji lacks in book smarts, he makes up for in spades with street smarts. I'm sure Ryuji will use those street smarts to dissuade Kimiko from ever considering leaving home. So, what do you think?"
"I love you with my whole heart, babe, but I think you're insane," Ren said, "I get that you're upset about Kimiko leaving home, but you can't stop our daughter from growing up. And if she realizes that you're trying to sabotage her plans to leave, she's going to resent you for the rest of her life."
"Ren's right, Lady Ann," Morgana chimed in, "Miss Kimiko is smarter than you think she is."
"Miss Kimiko?" Ren said, surprised at his cat's new nickname for his daughter, "You've never called Kimiko that before, Morgana."
"Well, I figured now that Kimiko is all grown up, I should start referring to her as one," Morgana said.
"Great, even you're on board with the idea of my baby girl moving out," Ann pouted at the cat.
"If you're that worried about Kimiko when she moves out, Lady Ann, I could come with her and keep an eye on her for you," Morgana offered.
"That won't be necessary, Morgana," Ann said, "My plan is foolproof, and by the end of it all Kimiko will decide not to leave for Kyoto and she'll stay right here where she belongs."
"I promise you, Ann, this isn't going to end well," Ren warned.
"You'll see," Ann said to her husband, "I'm in the right for wanting to keep Kimiko here. She has no idea what she's getting herself into out there in the real world. What you see as me hindering her, I see as me doing her a favor. She'll thank me for this, just you wait."
With that, Ann left the living room to go call Ryuji so she could put her plan in action.
"I never thought Ann's desperation to keep Kimiko here would get to this point," Ren worried, "There has to be something I can do to change Ann's mind about all of this."
"Unfortunately, Ren, I think Lady Ann has her mind made up about the whole thing," Morgana said, "All we can do now is hope that Miss Kimiko is smart enough to realize what's going on and continue to pursue her dream of moving in with Kaito and attending school in Kyoto."
"You know something, Morgana," Ren said, "I think I might have an idea that'll take Ann's mind off of Minato and Kimiko leaving home."
"What is it, Ren?" Morgana asked.
"Let me show you," Ren said as he guided the cat elsewhere so he could show him just what he had planned for himself and Ann
As that was going on, we cut to Kimiko in her room as she's going through which of her belongings she'd bring with her to Kyoto when the time finally came for her and Kaito to move in together. As she did that, she heard her cell phone, which was situated on her vanity, starting to ring. She went over to it, saw that it was Kaito calling, and answered it.
"Hey, babe," Kimiko said.
"Hey, Kim," Kaito was heard on the other end, "Don't get mad, but I kind of stayed up last night and did some more apartment hunting. And when I did I found a list of potential apartments that I think you and I will both like. Would you like to come over later this afternoon and take a look at them with me?"
"Of course," Kimiko said, "And, if we have time, maybe before we get down to business, we can have a little bit of 'fun'?"
"Oh, feeling frisky now, aren't you?" Kaito said in a teasing tone, "I like that."
"Do you have any of Takemi's Love Potion in the house?" Kimiko asked.
"Unfortunately I think my parents used up the last of their bottle the other day," Kaito said, "Nariko keeps hers hidden somewhere and I haven't been able to find it. And I keep forgetting to go out and buy a bottle for myself."
"That's okay," Kimiko said, "I think my dad keeps a bottle somewhere in his room. I'll throw some in a water bottle and bring it over."
"Alright, Kim, be careful," Kaito said, "I love you."
"Love you too, kisses!" Kimiko said as she and Kaito blew each other some kisses through the phone before they hung up.
Also on Kimiko's nightstand was an empty water bottle. After putting the phone away in her back pocket she grabbed the bottle and snuck her way into her parents bedroom.
Once Kimiko was sure that the master bedroom was empty she went inside and started her search for her parents' love potion by looking under the canopy bed. Moments later she pulls out the small chest that is Ren's 'special box'. She opens it up and immediately finds the bottle of love potion. Kimiko wastes no time in grabbing the bottle before pouring some of the contents in her water bottle. Once she was done, Kimiko was going to put the love potion back, but then she noticed some of the chest's other contents. Letting her curiosity get the better of her once more, Kimiko decides to look through it to see what items Ren regards as 'special'.
She first pulls out some photographs. The first photograph was of the day when Kimiko was born. In it, we see Ann happily holding baby Kimiko in her arms as Ren and a four-year-old Minato stand by with smiles on their faces.
The second photograph was of Ren and Ann at their wedding; they were in front of the church where they got married and they're surrounded by all of their friends, with Ryuji as the Best Man and Shiho as the Maid of Honor.
The third photograph was something a little more recent; a picture of Minato's graduation from Shujin Academy, when Kimiko was 14 and Minato was 18. They, along with Ren, Ann, and Sadayo were seen in front of the school, Minato wearing his cap and gown and holding his high school graduation certificate.
The fourth photograph was a picture of Ren, Ann, Ryuji, Makoto, Yusuke, Haru, and Futaba at Destiny World during their teen years. They all had some kind of souvenir with them as they posed in front of the Ferris Wheel and a fireworks display was going off behind them.
The fifth and final photograph was of a young Ren with his childhood friend, and Minato's namesake, Minato Kimura. The two young boys were hanging out in front of Ren's childhood home holding cans of Monta and just being good friends.
Kimiko put the photographs away before grabbing another memento from the box. This one was a piece of folded wax paper with something inside of it. Kimiko opened it up to reveal a pressed rose, one that Ren used as a boutonniere for the Shujin Academy senior prom. She put that memento back before pulling out a stack of books, four small ones and one lengthy one.
"No way," Kimiko said in amazement as she saw the first book, "Pink Eggs and Spam! I used to love this book!"
Kimiko looked through the other books to see that the other three smaller books were also books from her childhood, "'Sweet Dreams, Stars', 'Thornton Sees a That', 'The Bird in the Shirt', dad used to read these to me all of the time, I can't believe I forgot about these! But what's this big book?"
Kimiko put the four children's books away before looking at the big book…to see that it was a book about sex positions.
"Eww, no thanks," Kimiko grimaced before putting the risque book away…only for her curiosity to get the better of her yet again, as she takes the book back out to skim through its contents real quick, and take pictures of any positions that piques her interest with her phone, "In case Kaito and I are feeling adventurous one of these days," Kimiko thought to herself as she took one last picture before putting the book away.
Kimiko continued to look through the contents of Ren's 'special box' until she found something at the very bottom. It was the cloth badge of the Phantom Thief logo that Ren was looking at from the beginning of the story. Kimiko took the badge out of the trunks and looked at it curiously. The Phantom Thieves and their exploits were still very popular in this day and age, but no one has really heard from them in a while. Like an urban legend, the Phantom Thieves were feared by all, but not seen by all, and their last sighting was when Kimiko was nothing more but a gleam in her father's eye. Regardless, Kimiko was curious as to why her father had a logo for the Phantom Thieves in his possession.
"I wonder why dad has this?" Kimiko asked as she continued looking at the badge, "He never really brings up the Phantom Thieves at all in conversation. Was he friends with them at some point? Or maybe even a member of them…no way, dad's cool but he's not that cool. Still, I should ask him about this when I get the chance."
Kimiko put the badge away in her pocket before putting the 'special box' and its contents back underneath the bed. She then grabbed her water bottle with the love potion still inside and left the master bedroom to return to her own room.
A few minutes after Kimiko made it back to her room, Ryuji came by to see her Kimiko going through all of the things in her room to see what she wanted to take with her to Kyoto. Ryuji let out a sigh, as he knows the reason why he's here and he's against trying to stop Kimiko from growing up as much as Ren or Morgana was. But, because he and Ann knew that he'd be lonely without Himari by his side if she does decide to move to Los Angeles with Hotaru, Ryuji decided to play along to not only keep Ann happy by keeping Kimiko in Tokyo, but also to treat Kimiko as a 'replacement daughter' until Himari returns.
Ryuji knocked on the door frame three times, catching Kimiko's attention.
"Uncle Ryuji?" Kimiko asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Just have a lot of stuff going on with the family," Ryuji explained, "I figured I'd come and see if you wanted to hang out?"
"You want to hang out with me?" Kimiko asked, curiously, "I mean, I'm flattered, but why me?"
"Everyone was busy doing something else," Ryuji said, telling a lie, "So, are you game or what?"
"I guess I can take a short break from looking through my belongings," Kimiko said, "But I can't hang out the whole day. I already promised Kaito that I'd come over to his place later this afternoon so he can show me the potential apartments he found."
"No problem," Ryuji said with a smile, "Well, come along, Kim! Time's a-wastin'!"
Before Kimiko left her room, she made sure to grab her water bottle full of love potion so she could go straight from wherever she and Ryuji would wind up to the Watanabe Residence. Kimiko followed Ryuji out of her room and out of the house so they could spend some time just hanging out with each other.
Elsewhere, we see the Tanaka Family sitting at an outdoor table at a bistro having breakfast together. Ichiro, despite still having a cast on his leg, appears to be in better spirits.
"Good call taking us out for breakfast, dad," Kas said as she took a sip from her smoothie.
"I figured I needed some fresh air after being cooped up in the house all day yesterday," Ichiro explained, "Having said that it is a beautiful day, isn't it?"
"Not a cloud in the sky," Sumire smiled.
"So, dad, now that you have a new lease on life, what are you going to do now?" Kas asked.
"I'm not too sure, to be honest," Ichiro said, "I know I was talented at a lot of things during my time at Tanuki Scouts, which was were I found my passion for gymnastics. I think if I go through each of the skills I acquired during my time with them, I can find another passion."
"What about your talent for impressions?" Sumire asked, "Like how you changed your voice that one time to lure Hayato to that Aoki guy's apartment when we thought he was a serial killer."
"Wait, what?!" Kas asked.
"It's a long story, we'll tell you later," Sumire said.
"I could try and become a voice actor or impressionist like Mitch Liddle (Rich Little)," Ichiro thought, "But I'm in my mid-forties now. Folks these days are probably looking for young talent."
"Well, you are a pretty well known athlete," Kas said, "A lot of former athletes star in commercials. Maybe you could be a spokesperson of some kind?"
"You always did have a photogenic face, babe," Sumire said.
"Hmm, I could do that," Ichiro said, "You think Clapple Iced Tea (Snapple) is looking for a new spokesperson? I love their drinks."
"I loved them until I realized that the ingredients in them make me break out in a series of zits," Kas said, "I'm not vain or anything, but I'm also not a pizza face."
Hearing that made Sumire and Ichiro chuckle as a man in a gray suit and a green tie walk up to the Tanaka Family.
"I thought I recognized that voice," the gray suit man said, causing all three Tanakas to look in his direction, "You're Ichiro Tanaka, right?"
"Yes, sir, that's me," Ichiro said.
"Youta Managi," the gray suit man introduced himself as he shook Ichiro's hand, "Pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Wait, Youta Managi?" Kas asked, "Aren't you some big time sportscaster?"
"Yes I am, young lady," Managi said, proudly, before focusing his attention back on Ichiro, "I heard about your unfortunate accident. Before I continue on I just want to say that I'm sorry for your misfortune."
"It's quite alright, Mr. Managi," Ichiro said, "It was rough at first, but when you have a beautiful and loving wife like mine anything is possible."
"You're very lucky," Managi said, "Anyway, I was going to contact you over the phone, but since you're here right now I guess there's no time like the present."
"What's going on?" Sumire asked.
"You see, our last gymnastics sportscaster got canceled on social media for tweeting the 'N-word'," Managi said.
"Yikes," Kas said.
"Yeah, not good," Managi said, "As a result, we had to let him go because we and our TV Station have a reputation to keep up. Anyway, we've been looking for someone to replace him, and given that you've been in the sport for a while, and looking to get back on your feet after your career-ending injury, would you like to be our new gymnastics sportscaster?"
"You're offering me a job?!" Ichiro asked, amazed.
"Not a job, yet," Managi explained, "We'll bring you in tomorrow to see how you do, and to see how well our viewers respond to you, and if all goes well the job is yours."
"That's awesome," Ichiro smiled, "I'll be there!"
"Great, here's the address for the T.V Station," Managi said as he handed Ichiro his business card with the address for the T.V Station written on it, "Show up tomorrow at 10 A-M in your best suit and we'll get started. But I'll tell you right now, Ichiro, your chances of being hired are very high. All we're looking for in a replacement gymnastics sportscaster is someone who is smart, well-spoken, knows the sport well, and not racist in the slightest."
"Well I am smart, well-spoken, and I know the sport well," Ichiro joked, causing himself, Managi, Kas, and Sumire to laugh for a few seconds before calming down.
"But seriously though," Managi said.
"No, I'm not racist, sir," Ichiro said, "Anyway, thank you for the opportunity. I'll see you tomorrow!"
"Take care now," Managi said as he left the area to go about his day.
"Well how do you like that, babe?" Sumire asked, "You've only been retired from gymnastics for two days and already you have a job offer. How do you feel?"
"I feel awesome, babe!" Ichiro smiled, "This is really the best thing could've happened to someone like me right now!"
"You're going to do great tomorrow, dad, I just know it," Kas said.
"Thank, Kas," Ichiro said as he lifted up his smoothie glass, causing Sumire and Kas to do the same, "Here's to a bright future!"
"Here, here!" Sumire said as the family clinked their glasses before sucking down their smoothies.
Meanwhile, at Inokashira Park, we see Himari Sakamoto, who is taking a stroll to try and clear her head so she knows just what to do in regards to Hotaru's offer for her to move to Los Angeles with him. She spent all last night weighing out the pros and the cons of moving to LA.
On the one hand, she gets to be with the love of her life so they could start a life together, and Himari has never been to Los Angeles before, so going would be a great way to experience life and cross something off of her bucket list. On top of that, she knew she could use her degree in physical education to become a tennis coach while also competing in tennis tournaments when she has free time to really take advantage of her passion, so the move wouldn't be a 'hard reset' on her life.
On the other hand, other than Hotaru, Himari doesn't know anyone in LA and it's an unfamiliar location for her. Furthermore, if something happens, like a family matter or the unlikely event that she and Hotaru have a falling out, going back home to Tokyo is easier said than done. But more importantly, she knows that if she goes she'll greatly upset her parents, especially Ryuji.
Himari had so much to think about that she soon started to think that there was no correct answer to this conundrum she faces.
As she walked along, she soon saw a familiar face sitting on a bench. It was Yusuke Kitagawa! Happy to see a friendly face, Himari ran over to the blue haired artist.
"Uncle Yusuke, hey!" Himari said, catching Yusuke's attention.
"Himari?" Yusuke said, surprised, "What are you doing here?"
"I was just taking a walk to try and sort out this problem I have," Himari said as she sat down next to him, "I don't know how much you know about it, but Hotaru took a job offer for directing movies with International Studios…but the job is in Los Angeles, and he'll be going there for five years. Even crazier, Hotaru offered me the chance to make the move with him so we can start a life together. I spent all of last night and earlier this morning weighing out the pros and cons of the situation, but I can't seem to make up my mind about what I want to do. Everytime I think I want to go with Hotaru, I change my mind and want to stay here in Tokyo, and everytime I think about staying here in Tokyo, I change my mind and want to move to Los Angeles with Hotaru. I'm stuck, Uncle Yusuke, and I don't know what to do."
"Sounds like you and I are in the same boat, Himari," Yusuke said, "I'm not sure if you heard, but the Japan Art Association is paying me to go on a world tour of all of the world's most prestigious universities and museums so I can give my art seminars to the masses. If I go, then not only will I be inspiring a generation of future artists, but I'll also be getting paid doing what I love and seeing the world while I'm at it. On the other hand, I'll be separated from the people I love most in this life, Haru, Mana, and Mitsu especially."
"So you're stuck between a rock and a hard place too," Himari said, "What kind of a pair are we?"
"A pair who's about to make the toughest decision in their respective lives," Yusuke answered, "But, you know what, I had a talk with Haru yesterday that made the task of making my decision easier."
"What's that?" Himari asked.
"She told me that life's too short to waste it hanging around here with people and sites you already know, getting complacent in the process. I soon realized that she was right, and that's why I eventually decided to take the Art Association's offer" Yusuke said.
"That's great," Himari said, "Have you told anyone else about it?"
"Other than you, my wife and daughters are the only other people who know of my decision," Yusuke said, "But back onto your problem. You said that Hotaru will be gone for five years, right?"
"Yeah," Himari answered.
"Well, if you go with him, it's not like you and him will be gone forever," Yusuke said, "Five years goes by quickly, Himari, and we'll all be here waiting for you when you get back. In life, it's okay to embrace changes, no matter how big or small it may be. Don't be afraid to go on new adventures or try new things. And if you're worried about hurting your family's feelings by moving, guess what, saying goodbye and hurting others feelings as a result are a part of life too. In life, some of the decisions you're going to make are going to be decisions that others won't necessarily agree with, but we all just have to trust that that decision is the right one, and we all have to live with it. Don't let what others think prevent you from doing what's right for you. I guess this whole spiel I'm going on can just be summed up in one question, Himari; 'Who are you, and what do you want'?"
Himari sat in complete silence for the next few minutes, letting Yusuke's words sink in. She was truly amazed. For as long as she knew Yusuke, Himari never knew that he could be capable of spouting such wise words. As Yusuke waited for Himari to say something in response to his speech, she looked at him with a warm smile on her face.
"Thank you, Uncle Yusuke," Himari said as she sat up from the bench, "Those are some words that I really needed to hear, and I think I know now what I must do."
Without saying anything else, Himari ran off to parts unknown while Yusuke went back to relaxing and taking in the beautiful weather, happy that he was able to help Himari come to a decision about what she should do in life.
Elsewhere, we see Ryuji and Kimiko having fun and spending some time together, via a montage.
In the first part of the montage, we see Ryuji and Kimiko enjoying a chick flick at Kimiko's request. The two of them are enjoying the film as they eat their popcorn and sip their drinks.
After the movie, the duo then head over to the batting cages where they're seen hitting baseballs. Ryuji manages to hit a few of them, but when Kimiko hits one of hers she ends up hitting the bullseye that was hung up. Kimiko is now wearing a happy smile on her face as Ryuij applauds her.
The next stop was the arcade where Kimiko and Ryuji are seen playing Gun About II. They end up making it to the final level, beating the final boss, and beating arcade owner Shinya Oda's high score, much to his dismay.
Now the two of them are seen sipping on milkshakes at the local Big Bang Burger. Ryuji and Kimiko try to see who can finish their shake the fastest…but this naturally leads to both of them getting a massive brain freeze as they both cry out and hold their heads in pain; Ryuji even fell out of his chair he was in so much discomfort.
We then end the montage at the Tokyo Skytree, where Ryuji and Kimiko are seen inside the structure looking at the city skyline.
"Man, this city is so beautiful," Kimiko said as she took a picture of the city.
"You should see it at night, that's when it really comes alive" Ryuji said as he continued watching the young blonde woman take her photos, "You think you took enough pictures?"
"If I'm going to live with Kaito in Kyoto, I want to take as many pictures of Tokyo as I can so I have something to remember this city by," Kimiko said.
"You're going to miss this city, huh?" Ryuji asked.
"Yeah, a little bit," Kimiko admitted, "But I'm really excited. Kyoto is a beautiful city too, and just knowing that I'll have Kaito by my side will make things even better!"
"I can understand that," Ryuji said, "But don't forget you'll be going off on your own, and Kyoto is a new location that you know next to nothing about. Combine those two factors with the fact that you're a beautiful young woman, and you'll be having a lot of unfriendly faces looking to take advantage of you."
"I'm not worried about that," Kimiko said, "I'll have Kaito with me to protect me."
"And in the event that he can't?" Ryuji asked…only for Kimiko to suddenly pull out a pocket knife, "When did you start carrying that around?!" Ryuji asked in shock.
"Auntie Makoto gave it to me on my 18th birthday," Kimiko said, "You know, just in case. I would've thought she told you about it."
"Apparently not," Ryuji said, "Anyway, you might be prepared for worst case scenarios…but how prepared are you for homesickness?"
"That's why I'm trying to bring as many of my belongings as I can to Kyoto so it'll be like I never left," Kimiko said, "And my folks and my brother are always a phone call away if I want to talk. I hear it also helps to distract yourself if you ever feel homesick, and I think with Kaito around, I'll be plenty 'distracted' if you know what I mean?"
"Unfortunately I do, and now I can never look at you the same way ever again," Ryuji lamented.
"Hey let me ask you something, Uncle Ryuji," Kimiko began, "Why do you care so much about my move to Kyoto?"
"Oh, you know, it's just that planning a big move at a young age could be stressful and I want to make sure you know what you're doing," Ryuji said, hoping that Kimiko doesn't catch on to his and Ann's plan to keep Kimiko home.
"Lots of people my age move out to start a life of their own," Kimiko said, starting to get suspicious, "If there's anyone you should be worrying about right now it's Himari. I know Hotaru offered her the chance to move to Los Angeles. I saw your post about it on Tweeter."
Suddenly, everything started to make sense to Kimiko. She knew that her announcement on moving out struck a nerve with Ann, and she knows how close her mother and Ryuji are. Immediately, she pieced together the idea that both Ann and Ryuji are conspiring against her to not only keep her here in Tokyo, but also act as a replacement daughter for Ryuji if Himari did decide to move to Los Angeles. Kimiko soon felt an intense feeling of rage and betrayal build inside her as a scowl appeared on her face.
"Mom put you up to this, didn't she?" Kimiko growled.
"Uh, what makes you think that?" Ryuji asked, breaking out into a cold sweat.
"She's already losing Minato when he moves to Africa, so she doesn't want to lose me to Kaito and Kyoto," Kimiko angrily explained, "On top of that, you're in need of a replacement in case Himari goes with Hotaru to California, so you and mom teamed up in some vain attempt to keep me here!"
Ryuji was surprised with how quickly Kimiko was able to figure out Ann's devious plan. He was about to say something, but Kimiko continued talking.
"God, I should've known something was up," Kimiko said, "All of the things we did today, they were things you and Himari enjoyed doing together! You were trying to emulate all the times you and Himari hung out together in fear that you're going to lose her. Well guess what, Ryuji, I'm not anybody's replacement goldfish! I have my own life to live and if you or my mom can't accept that, then that's too bad because there's nothing either of you can do to stop me!"
"Kimiko, your mom just wants what's best for you," Ryuji tried reasoning with the irate blonde.
"Keeping me stuck here in Tokyo? Is that what she thinks is best for me?" Kimiko asked, "I'm never going to grow up or experience life if I stay here! And why do you care so much about making sure my mom is happy? Oh wait, don't bother answering, I know why! You have an undying crush on her, you always did! And despite getting married to Auntie Makoto and having a daughter of your own, you still dye your hair blonde as some kind of 'security blanket', almost as if you're holding out hope that you and my mom can still be together! Get the hell over it! She'll never be with you! You never had a shot with her, and you're stupid for still thinking you do have a shot with her!"
"I…I dyed my hair to support your mother and you in case anyone gave you a hard time for your hair color," Ryuji said, stunned.
"Well I told you, Ryuji, I can take care of myself! I don't need you, I never needed you!" Kimiko said as Ryuji's cell phone started to ring.
"Oh, my phone is ringing," Ryuji said, nervously, "I wonder who it is? Why, speak of the devil Kim, it's your mom!"
"Give me the phone, I've got a few things to say," Kimiko said as she snatched the cell phone out of Ryuji's hands before answering it.
"Ryuji, is that you?" Ann was heard on the other end.
"Guess again, mom!" Kimiko said angrily.
"Kimiko?" Ann asked in shock, "What are you-"
"I know what you and Ryuji planned, and I just want to say that you should be ashamed of yourself for trying to prevent me from leaving and experiencing life," Kimiko exclaimed, "Who do you think you are?!"
"Kim, I only did what I did because I love you!" Ann tried to reason.
"No, you did what you did because you don't think I can take care of myself out there in the real world!" Kimiko snapped, "You put this plan of yours in action for yourself and only yourself, mom! Well, I'll show you! I'll show all of you that I can do just fine out there without any of you guiding me!"
Kimiko hands Ryuji his phone back before making her way out of the Tokyo Skytree.
"Kim, where are you going?!" Ryuji called after the blonde woman.
"I'm going to Kaito's," Kimiko said, "Don't wait up!"
With that, Kimiko entered the elevator and made her way down to the ground floor, leaving Ryuji and Ann, who was still on the other end of the phone, in stunned silence.
"Maybe Kim has a point," Ann said, "Maybe I was being a little selfish for wanting to keep her here. I should've listened to Ren when he warned me against doing this."
"Yeah," Ryuji concurred.
"Are you okay, Ryuji?" Ann asked, "You sound a little out of it."
"Kimiko just gave me a bit of a talking to before you called, Ann," Ryuji said, letting Kimiko's 'Reason You Suck Speech' towards him sink in, "Listen, I've gotta go home. There's some stuff that I need to sort out."
"Alright, take it easy," Ann said as she hung up the phone, allowing Ryuji to leave the Tokyo Skytree and return home.
As that was going on, we cut to the Japan National Stadium where Shiho is, once again, putting her volleyball team through practice. Like with the other practice sessions, Saki Kamoshida is still sitting on the bench as she glares at Shiho for not giving her a chance to practice with the rest of the team. Shiho takes a quick glance at Saki before focusing her attention back on the members of the team that were practicing on the court.
"Okay, ladies, 15 minute break!" Shiho called.
The volleyball players dispersed so they could go to the bathroom or get a drink of water as Shiho went outside to get some fresh air. Saki saw Shiho leave the stadium and decided to follow after her.
Outside of the stadium, we see Shiho looking through some messages on her phone when Saki shows up, ready to give Shiho a piece of her mind.
"Coach, we need to talk," Saki said.
"There's nothing to talk about, Kamoshida," Shiho said as she put her phone away to talk with Saki face-to-face.
"Look, I know why you're insistent on keeping me on the bench," Saki said, "It's because of your past with my uncle and you think all Kamoshidas are evil. We're not all bad, okay? I'm sorry about what my uncle did to you, but that's no excuse to take your anger out on me. You may not think so at the moment, but I'm on your side, and I know how you feel right now."
"How can you possibly know how it feels to have a complete monster of a man do something like that to you?" Shiho asked before Saki gave her her answer.
"Because it happened with my oldest sister," Saki explained, causing Shiho to finally shut up and listen, "Suguru taught all of my older brothers and sisters how to play volleyball, long before I was even born. He was hoping that one of them could continue to uphold the Kamoshida family name when it comes to the sport. He was rough with all of them, always pelting them with volleyballs and quick to scold or even smack them around if they mess up even just a little."
"That sounds exactly like what he did to me and my classmates when he was the coach at Shujin Academy," Shiho said in horror.
"My uncle got off on making the lives of anyone beneath him a living hell," Saki said, "But my oldest sister, Misaki, she was different. She was my uncle's favorite. She grasped onto the subjects fast and performed the best out of all of them. My folks didn't know at the time, but Suguru had ulterior motives with Misaki in mind. According to my older brother, one day when he came home from school, he noticed that Misaki wasn't her usual chipper and cheery self. He all knew that something had happened, but she wouldn't tell him what. Her reserved and depressed behavior continued for a few more days until, one day, she killed herself. My parents found her in her bedroom with her wrists slit."
Hearing that made Shiho gasp. She soon starts to realize that she has more in common with Saki than she thought and that she was too hard on her.
"It wasn't until these Phantom Thieves changed my uncle's heart that he confessed about molesting Misaki, resulting in her suicide," Saki concluded, "So now you know."
"Oh my gosh, Saki," Shiho frowned, feeling awful for how she treated her, "I…I had no idea that your uncle's abuse extended to even his family. I'm so sorry that you and your family had to go through all of that."
"Thanks, coach," Saki said, "And believe me, my family and I don't associate with Suguru anymore. We've written him out of our lives and he's dead to us. But anyway, Misaki's death is kind of what inspired me to do volleyball in the first place. Even though I never met her, I felt the need to avenge my sister, be the volleyball player that I knew she could've been, and restore honor to the Kamoshida family name."
"That's big of you, Saki," Shiho said, "And I'm sorry for treating you so poorly."
"It's alright, coach, you didn't know," Saki said as she and Shiho shared a brief hug.
"I just want to let you know that I intend on doing a better job when coaching you," Shiho said, "Starting right now, you're no longer on the bench. I'll see to it that you participate in every game and mop the floor with whatever team we're facing!"
"I like the sound of that, coach," Saki said with a toothy grin, "You know, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."
"I think so too, Saki," Shiho said, "You know, my daughter and her boyfriend are taking my family and his family out to dinner this evening. I can call them to see if they can squeeze in one more."
"You're inviting me to dinner, coach?" Saki asked.
"Sure," Shiho said, "If we're going to be friends with a common enemy in the form of Suguru Kamoshida, I would like to know you a little better, and I would like you to meet my family and friends."
"That sounds wonderful, coach," Saki smiled as she and Shiho walked back into the stadium to continue practicing; a fresh new start for the two of them being made.
Some time later at the Watanabe Residence, we see Kaito and Kimiko in Kaito's bedroom where they're sitting on the bed looking at the list of apartments that Kaito told Kimiko about.
"What do you think of this one, Kim?" Kaito asked, "These apartments are within walking distance of Kyoto University."
"Uh, sure, that sounds great," Kimiko said, lost in thought.
"Babe, are you okay?" Kaito worried, "You seem a little out of it."
"I'm fine, Kaito, I'm sorry if I made you worry," Kimiko said, "It's just that I had a bit of a falling out with my mom and Uncle Ryuji."
"What happened," Kaito asked.
"Well, to make a long story short, mom doesn't like the idea of me moving all the way to Kyoto so she came up with a plan that involved using Uncle Ryuji to convince me to stay here in Tokyo," Kimiko explained, "Ryuji only went along with it because my mom convinced him that he could use me as a replacement for Himari in the event she decides to go with Hotaru to Los Angeles. When I found out, I didn't exactly take the news lightly. I kind of yelled at them and told mom that she should be ashamed of herself. I'm starting to think I was a little hard on them, especially mom. I mean, it doesn't excuse them trying to sabotage my plans, but I definitely could have handled the situation a little bit better."
"I'm not saying I agree with what they did either," Kaito said, "But I do understand where they're coming from."
"You do?" Kimiko asked.
"I had to go through something similar with my mom when I first chose to attend school in Kyoto," Kaito said, "She worried about my safety and well being, and yes, she even tried to convince me to attend school here in Tokyo. So, I just let her down easy and told her that I need to do this to advance my life, I should be allowed to grow up, and doing this doesn't mean I love her any less. To sweeten the deal, I even thanked her for raising me and giving me the best life possible, and that I love her. She responded to the mature way I handled the situation and backed off soon after."
"So that's it?" Kimiko asked, "I just have to talk to my mom and she'll back off."
"A mature conversation goes a long way, Kimiko," Kaito said, "But our moms worrying about us is inevitable. They're parents, babe, they wouldn't be doing their job if they didn't worry about us. We just have to tell them in the nicest possible way that we'll be just fine and we can handle whatever the real world has to throw at us. So, my advice for you when making peace with Auntie Ann is to apologize for blowing up on her, and to tell her what I told you; that you should be allowed to grow up, you still love her very much, you'll call or visit often, and end things by thanking her for taking good care of you all these years and molding you into the proud young woman you are today."
"Okay," Kimiko smiled before she gave her boyfriend a loving peck on the cheek, "You're so smart, babe. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Oh, Kim, you're so sweet," Kaito swooned as Kimiko gave him another peck on the cheek, "Hey, my folks and I are going out to dinner with the Mishimas so Nariko and Riku can drop the bomb about their pregnancy if you want to come."
"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'd rather go home and sort things out with my mom," Kimiko explained.
"Okay," Kaito said, "But, before you go, do you still have any more love potion in that water bottle of yours?"
"I should," Kimiko said, "Why? Do you want to go one more round before I have to go home?"
"So much," Kaito responded.
"Well, bring it on, big boy!" Kimiko teased.
"Yes!" Kaito cheered as he got up from the bed to lock his bedroom door before the two of them went at it.
Some time later, at the Sakamoto Residence, Makoto is seen in the dining room sitting in front of her laptop as she sips from a mug of herbal tea. She's currently looking at the colleges in Tokyo that offer law degrees to see which one is best for her. She eventually finds a college that looks promising and she takes her laptop upstairs to show Ryuji. Ever since Ryuji got home, he locked himself in the upstairs bathroom. Makoto wasn't sure what he was doing up there, but hopefully he could stop doing whatever it was he was doing for a few minutes to take a look at the school she wants to attend.
When Makoto made it to the upstairs bathroom door, she knocked three times hoping that Ryuji would answer.
"Ryuji, babe, do you have a minute?" Makoto asked, "I want to show the college that I found."
"Yeah, just a minute," came Ryuji's voice after a brief moment of silence.
Makoto heard Ryuji's footsteps approaching the door from inside the bathroom so she stepped back so he could open it. When Ryuji opened the bathroom door and stepped out to face his wife, Makoto let out a delightfully surprised gasp at what she saw.
"Oh my gosh!" Makoto exclaimed, "Ryuji! Your…your hair!"
To Makoto's surprise, Ryuji's hair wasn't dyed blonde anymore! All the time Ryuji spent in the bathroom was time he spent getting all of that hair dye out of his hair, and now it's back to its natural, black color.
"I know it's quite the sudden change, but I think we'll get used to it over time," Ryuji said.
"I…I don't know what to say," Makoto said, amazed, "For as long as I've known you you've always had your hair dyed blonde. What made you want to go back to your original hair color, and so suddenly too?"
"Well, Kimiko gave me a bit of a talking to when I hung out with her earlier today," Ryuji explained, "And I realized that I need to make a change. Seems appropriate as everyone else is making some kind of a change with their life, what with you going back to school, Minato moving to Africa, Kimiko moving to Kyoto, Hotaru moving to Los Angeles, among other things. I know changing my hair color is nothing compared to big changes like those, but I think it's still a noteworthy change nonetheless. So, what do you think?"
"Like you said, it'll take some getting used to," Makoto said, "But overall…I like it! Dare I say, you look even more handsome with black hair."
"Glad to hear that, babe," Ryuji smiled, "So, about that college you wanted to show me."
"Actually, that can wait a little bit," Makoto said as she placed her laptop down on a nearby side table, "Because seeing you in your new, original, sexy hair color…well, it's making me feel a certain way."
"Oh is it now?" Ryuji smirked, "Himari's probably not going to be home for a while. You want to get busy before she comes back?"
"Better idea," Makoto said, "You want to go down to the steam rooms and have a little rendezvous there? Just like old times?"
"I like the way you think," Ryuji said as he and Makoto slipped on their shoes, grabbed some money, and ran out the door for the steam rooms.
Back at the Amamiya Residence, Ren is seen looking for Ann. He comes out to the backyard where he finds Ann standing in front of the tree they planted in memory of Hikari, their miscarried baby. Ren goes over to see how she's doing since Kimiko chewed her out over the phone.
"You okay, babe," Ren asked as he gave Ann a kiss on the cheek, "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"You can start by telling me when I became an awful mother for trying to keep Kimiko here," Ann said as she rested her head on Ren's shoulder, "You were right, Ren. I shouldn't have tried to stop Kimiko from moving out. She's a grown woman now and she's capable of making her own decisions. I was a fool for trying to deny Kimiko that right, and now she hates me. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Kimiko never wanted to come back here again after what went down today."
"Hey, you're not an awful mother," Ren said, reassuringly, "You're just stressed out over these recent developments going on in our lives. By this time next month both of our kids will be out of the house, with Morgana going with Kimiko to Kyoto, meaning it'll be just the two of us. Yeah, I'd be lying if I said Minato and Kimiko moving out didn't make me at least a little sad. I've seen their faces almost everyday for the last 23 years, and the idea that I won't be seeing their faces anymore does feel kind of surreal. But, we just have to keep telling ourselves that they're not gone forever. We'll still be seeing them every once in a while. Children growing up is just a fact of life, and we have to accept it as best we can."
"I know," Ann said, "I just don't know how I can make it up to her though. What I did was unforgivable."
"Kimiko will come around, babe," Ren said, "I'm sure she's cooled off some since you last talked with her, and when she gets here she'll apologize for snapping at you. That'll be your cue to apologize to her, and all will be right with the world again.
"I hope so," Ann said.
Ren and Ann continued to cuddle up next to each other as they stood in front of Hikari's tree, a small part of their brains wondering what life would've been like had Hikari survived; he/she would've been 13 at this point in time, and likely treating the couple like his/her whole world. As the two of them continued to gaze upon the tree, they looked at the tree's base to find a small litter of tanukis who had made a den beneath it. The mother and father tanuki were seen cuddling next to their babies, who appeared to be newborn, in an attempt to keep them warm.
"Aw, how cute," Ann said as she and her husband stared at the adorable litter.
"Reminds me of us when Minato and Kimiko were little," Ren smiled, "How times have changed."
"This must be what 'Empty Nest Syndrome' feels like," Ann said, "Ren, how well do you think we'll adjust to living in a childless home?"
"There's no denying that it'll feel weird for the first couple of weeks, but I'm sure that feeling will go away," Ren said, "But, in an attempt to remain optimistic, we shouldn't look at this as the end of something. We should look at it as the beginning of something new. We get to see our children navigate their way through adult life and watch them hopefully get married and have kids of their own. Let's not look at what we're losing, but all of the things we could be gaining from here on out."
The thought of Minato and Kimiko having children of their own was enough to make Ann smile. After seeing Akihiro's son Masaru for the first time a few months ago, she started to play around with the idea of being a grandmother and spoiling her grandchildren to pieces whenever they'd come over. She gave her husband a hug and a kiss before speaking.
"You always know just what to say to make me smile, babe," Ann said.
"I try my best," Ren chuckled, "And if you think you're smiling now, I want to let you in on a little plan I have for after Minato and Kimiko move out."
"Oh, I'm listening," Ann said, intrigued.
Before Ren could elaborate any further, from the corner of their eyes, they saw Kimiko approaching them with a remorseful look on her face.
"Welcome home, Kimiko," Ren greeted.
"Thanks, dad," Kimiko said before focusing her attention on Ann.
"Kimiko, I just want to say that I'm sorry for not only trying to deceive you, but also roping Uncle Ryuji into my mess," Ann said, "I shouldn't have done that. You're a grown woman now and I have to respect the fact that you're now capable of making your own decisions. If moving with Kaito to Kyoto is what you want, then it's what I want."
"Thank you, mom," Kimiko said, "But, if anyone should be apologizing right now it's me. I'm sorry I yelled at you and Uncle Ryuji. I know you only did what you did because you love me and you'll miss me. But like you said, I'm a grown woman now who has to find her own way through life. I can't always have you or dad to fall back on. But just because I'm moving out doesn't mean I love you or dad any more or less than I already do. Other than Kaito, you two are the most important people in my life, and my heart breaks at the thought of upsetting either of you, and I'm sorry if my moving out has caused you two any type of distress. But, I'll be sure to keep in touch with you guys often to keep you abreast of everything going on in my life."
"We appreciate that, Kimiko," Ren said as Ann nodded in agreement.
Before Kimiko continued talking, she walked up to Ren and Ann and gave them the biggest, warmest hug she could muster, and the couple was very quick to return the hug. The three of them hugged for what felt like hours before they finally let each other go. Ren and Ann stared at Kimiko proudly, but for a split second, they saw their 19 year old daughter as the adorable five year old girl that they wish she still was. It didn't matter how far away Kimiko moved, nothing would change the fact that she will always be Ren and Ann's 'special little angel'.
"Thank you both for raising me and giving me the best life you could provide me," Kimiko said, "I'll never forget you two when I leave. I love you both very much."
"We love you too, Kimiko," Ann said as she and Ren wiped some stray tears from their eyes.
Kimiko left after giving her parents one last warm smile. When she went back inside the house, Ren and Ann were left alone in the backyard once more.
"I'm proud with the mature way Kimiko spoke to us," Ann said.
"And I'm happy you and Kimiko are on good terms again," Ren smiled, "I think she's going to be just fine when she goes to Kyoto."
"I think so too," Ann said before turning back to face her husband, "But, you were saying something about a plan for after our kids leave home?"
"Oh, right!" Ren said, "Do you remember what you said to me on our wedding night?"
"I want to travel the world with you and make love in every country?" Ann recalled.
"Yeah," Ren said, "Well, ever since then I made it a personal goal of mine to make that dream of yours a reality. So, over the last 20 years or so, I've been putting money away so we could go off on a whirlwind adventure around the world once the kids were out of the house."
"Oh my God," Ann gasped in amazement, "Ren, are you serious?!"
"Mmm-hmm," Ren said as he took out his phone so he could show her how much money he saved up, "I've set up a secret bank account, vowing to only show you once we had the necessary funds."
Ann looked at the amount of money her husband had saved up and her eyes widened in amazement.
"No way!" Ann exclaimed, "I thought numbers like that only existed in cartoons! How did you manage to save up this much money?!"
"Easy," Ren said, "I sold a few of my things that were valuable, I pulled a few extra shifts at the kitchen where I work, and when I heard that Minato was making money from helping Takemi sell her love potion, I decided to offer her my assistance."
"We're all hooked up," Ann said as she continued to look at her husband's secret account.
"I even made an itinerary for our travels so we know where to go, what to see, and when," Ren said.
"That's great, Ren," Ann said, before second thoughts start showing up, "But, are you sure you want to do this now? I mean, I know our kids have moved out and everything, but we still have responsibilities to take care of here at home; our jobs, our friends."
"We've spent the last 20+ years working and taking care of others," Ren said, "I think we've earned something like this. Besides, our bosses are understanding. They know how hard we work, and I'm almost positive they'll greenlight a temporary leave of absence.
Ren looked at Ann to see that she still looked rather unsure about the whole thing, "Think of all the sites we could see," Ren said, "All the people we could meet. And all the sweets you could eat."
Hearing that last bit made Ann's mouth water. It didn't matter how old she got, her sweet tooth was always a consistent factor in her life.
"As tempting as that is, babe…I just don't know," Ann said.
Just then, Ren thought of something that would change his wife's mind for sure.
"I can pack some bottles of Takemi's Love Potion so we really can make love in every country," Ren said.
Hearing that is what finally changed Ann's mind as a huge grin spread across her face.
"Okay, now you've convinced me," Ann said as she wrapped her arms around Ren in a hug, "This is going to be great, babe. You're the best."
"Anything for my girl," Ren smiled as he hugged Ann back.
Later that night, at the Wilton Hotel Buffet, we see the likes of Nariko, Riku, Futaba, Yuuki, Mai, Daisuke, Kaito, Shiho, and Saki enjoying themselves as they feast on platefuls of the scrumptious meats, vegetables, sides, and desserts that the buffet had to offer. Nariko and Riku watched happily as their respective families enjoyed themselves; maybe they're so happy right now that they won't even care about the bombshell they're going to drop on them, they thought. The two lovers happily listened to their families converse about whatever it was going on in their lives.
"So, you're actually related to Kamoshida?" Yuuki asked Saki.
"He's my uncle, yes," Saki answered, "From what Shiho told me on the way over here, you were another student that he'd like to abuse. I'm sorry you had to put up with him, Mr. Mishima."
"Please, call me Yuuki," Yuuki said humbly.
"So she's really showing promise as a volleyball player, eh mom?" Kaito asked.
"No joke, Kaito, I think Saki is going to be our team's secret weapon for a long time," Shiho said proudly, "I'm serious, you all should've seen her at practice."
"Man, I can't wait until our first game next week against those jokers from Spain," Saki said, excited, "They won't know what hit 'em."
"I'm glad you two are getting along now," Daisuke said before turning to Kaito, "How are things going with you and Kimiko's apartment hunting, son?"
"Pretty good," Kaito said as he took a sip from his soda, "There's this place that's within walking distance of Kyoto University that looks good. On top of being close to the school, it's a gated community, they've got their own laundry facilities and running water, and on top of all that it has a gym and pool. It's pretty much everything we could want from an apartment complex."
"That sounds great," Shiho said, "But a place like that sounds mighty expensive."
"Kimiko and I are going to get jobs while we're away at college, mom," Kaito said, "You have nothing to worry about."
"If you say so," Shiho said.
"Excuse me, but can we take a minute to raise our glasses for Sojiro?" Futaba asked.
"Of course, mom," Mai said as everyone raised their glasses.
"To Sojiro Sakura," Futaba said, "A man with a wonderful soul who was taken from us too soon. I sure hope he's in a better place looking down on all of us."
"Amen," Riku said as everyone lowered their glasses to take a sip from them.
"I heard about how this Sojiro guy died," Saki said, "I'm sorry for your loss."
"Thanks, Saki," Futaba said.
"You and him must've been pretty close, huh?" Saki asked.
"He was the one who took me in when he learned about my abuse at the hands of my uncle," Futaba said, "I don't even want to think about where I'd be right now if it wasn't for him. He saved my life."
"Wow," Saki said in amazement.
"He also took in another friend of ours, Ren Amamiya," Yuuki said, "He got sent to Tokyo as part of his probation, and Sojiro was nice enough to give Ren a roof over his head and food in his stomach. He even taught him a few things about being an adult, and tutored him in the 'School of Love'. Ren even passed some of those lessons down to me. So if it wasn't for Sojiro, Ren and I probably wouldn't even be married and our respective kids wouldn't even be here."
"This Sojiro guy sounded like an important figure in all of your lives," Saki said, "I sure wish I could've met him."
As everyone continued to converse and eat, Yuuki noticed that Riku and Nariko were mainly keeping to themselves.
"You two seem awfully quiet," Yuuki said, "Is everything okay?"
Riku and Nariko looked at each other before nodding. It was time.
"Well, dad, that's the thing," Riku began, "Nariko and I invited you all here to tell you something."
"What is it?" Shiho asked.
"You two aren't breaking up, are you?" Daisuke asked.
"No, dad, nothing like that," Nariko said, "We have some very important news to share, and all we ask is that you all keep an open mind and not freak out when we tell you."
"Get ready to hit the deck, Mai, this might get ugly," Kaito whispered over to the female Mishima child.
"You hit the deck, I want to take a picture of this," Mai said as she got up from her said, stood next to Riku and Nariko, and took out her phone.
"There's no easy way to say this, so here it goes" Riku said before he and Nariko took a deep breath, "Mom…dad…"
"Mom…dad…" Nariko chimed in.
"We're pregnant!" Nariko and Riku said in unison.
Hearing that made Yuuki, Futaba, Shiho, Daisuke, and even Saki gasp in shock as they wore gobsmacked expressions on their faces…allowing Mai to take the picture she wanted.
"And I have myself a new screensaver," Mai said as she went back to her seat.
"You…you two are…pregnant?!" Shiho asked.
"Are you two sure?" Futaba asked, "How do you know?"
"Remember the other day when my stomach was bothering me?" Nariko asked, "That was why. After you left for Minato's graduation party, I went out and bought a pregnancy test, and sure enough…here we are now."
Nariko and Riku just looked at their parents as they continued to wear looks of befuddlement on their faces. The two of them weren't sure what would happen next, and they couldn't tell if they were silent because they were happy or because they were mad. Nevertheless, Futaba, Yuuki, Daisuke, and Shiho got up from their seats and walked over to their respective child. Nariko and Riku immediately feared for the worst.
"Oh god, this is it," Riku worried, "They're going to give me a vasectomy right here and now in front of everyone!"
"Nice knowing you babe!" Nariko cried as she and Riku shut their eyes.
They braced themselves for the worst, and the next thing they felt…was their parents wrapping their arms around them in a loving hug. Nariko and Riku opened their eyes, confused as to what was going on.
"What is this?" Riku asked.
"What does it look like?" Futaba asked, "We're giving you kids a hug."
"You two are expecting," Daisuke said, "This is cause for celebration!"
"Wait, you mean you guys aren't mad?" Riku asked.
"Why would we be mad?" Shiho asked, "A child is a blessing, especially in times like this."
"With Sojiro dead, we needed something resembling a ray of hope in our lives," Yuuki said, "This baby of yours is just what the doctor ordered."
"Okay, so I'm just double checking here," Nariko said, "You guys aren't mad, like, at all about this? Because I don't know if you know this or not but starting a family in your early twenties isn't exactly the smartest move."
"We're not angry because we know you two will make outstanding parents," Daisuke said.
"You two were raised on our morals, and we know you'll pass those same morals down to your child," Futaba said, "Or children if you ever choose to make more after dropping this one."
"On top of that you two already have well paying jobs," Shiho said, "Sunny Interactive Studios for Riku, and the Yon-Germain Bakery for Nariko. Your combined salaries should be more than enough to support the baby."
"But more than that," Yuuki said, "We're all happy because…"
"WE'RE GOING TO BE GRANDPARENTS!" Yuuki, Futaba, Daisuke, and Shiho cheered.
"Just know that we'll always be here if you ever need a helping hand when raising your family, kids," Daisuke said.
"Wow, thanks dad," Nariko smiled, "We really didn't think you'd respond this well to our news."
"We told you Nariko," Shiho said, "Having a baby is a blessing, and we know you two will do a great job raising it."
Nariko and Riku wore a satisfied smile on their faces as they both let out a sigh of relief. Now that their parents know that they're expecting, it felt as though a giant weight was lifted off of their shoulders. The four parents then bought their eldest children into another hug.
"We love you kids," Daisuke said.
"We love you too," Riku and Narirko said.
"Hey, don't overlook us," Mai said as she and Kaito joined the group hug.
"Yeah," Kaito said, "Soon-to-be aunt and uncle, coming through!"
As Kaito and Mai joined the group hug, Shiho looked over at Saki and invited her to join in too. Saki got up from her seat and joined the two families in their hug.
As Yuuki, Futaba, Daisuke, and Shiho were hugging Nariko and Riku, for a split second they saw the two of them, along with Kaito and Mai, as children ranging anywhere from 4-6 years old. Sure, these four young adults may be reaching that age where they want to move out or start families of their own. But despite all of that, the four parents will always see their children as the adorable bundles of joy they once were.
The group continued to hug each other, happy with the new adventure that was unfolding for Nariko and Riku.
Meanwhile, at the Sakamoto Residence, Makoto and the now raven haired Ryuji are seen walking up to the front door of their house after having a little tryst at the steam rooms followed by a dinner out.
"That was so much fun," Makoto said.
"Tell me about it," Ryuji said, "I forgot how intense steam room sex was. And, you know, I never knew you could bend like that."
"I've been doing yoga with Sumire lately to help limber myself up," Makoto said, "I always pride myself in finding new ways to surprise you during our more intimate moments."
"And lucky for you, I'm a man who loves his surprises," Ryuji said as he and Makoto shared a quick but passionate kiss before entering the house.
Once the couple entered the house, they noticed that there were no lights on and no sign of Himari.
"That's weird. I would've thought Himari would be home by now," Makoto said.
"Maybe she left a note and is staying with Hotaru for the night or something," Ryuji said.
As Makoto and Ryuji fumbled through the dark, a lamp from the corner of the room suddenly turned on. They looked and saw Himari sitting in a chair right next to the lamp.
"Himari," Ryuji said.
"Hey guys," Himari said as she got up from the chair, "You have a nice night out?"
"Yeah," Ryuji said, "But what's going on? What's with the dramatic entrance?"
"I was waiting for you two to get home so I could tell you both that I've made my decision in regards to Hotaru and his job offer," Himari answered.
"And what did you decide?" Makoto asked.
A moment of silence passed as Himari took a deep breath to properly process the words she wanted to use.
"I gave it a lot of thought," Himari began as Makoto and Ryuji leaned in closer, "And I decided that I'm going with Hotaru to Los Angeles. I'm a grown woman now, and I want to start a life with Hotaru and be with him as he kicks off this new chapter in his career."
Makoto and especially Ryuji stayed silent as they let himari's words sink in, but Makoto was the one who broke the silence.
"We understand, Himari," Makoto said, "Thank you for telling us."
"You're welcome," Himari said as she walked up to her parents to hug them, "Thank you both for raising me and giving me a pretty good life. I hope one day I can be as great of a parent as you two."
Makoto and Ryuji looked upon their daughter, and for a split second, they saw Himari as an adorable, full-of-life five year old girl. Living a whole ocean apart from them won't change the fact that Makoto and Ryuji still see Himari as their little girl.
"Anyway, it's getting late," Himari said, "I can tell you two probably want to go to bed. We can discuss this more in the morning."
"That sounds great, Himari," Makoto said as Himari gave her and Ryuji one last hug before going upstairs to her room, "Have a good night, sweetie."
"Good night, guys. Oh, and you look very nice with black hair dad. Very handsome." Himari said as she went upstairs and entered her bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Makoto and Ryuji were left alone in the living room, the only light being the lamp in the corner of the room. Empty Nest Syndrome was quickly setting in for the couple. Without looking at Ryuji, Makoto asked, "Are you crying?"
Immediately after that, Ryuji was heard whimpering. Makoto turned around to see a sad look on her husband's face as tears started to stream down his face; his little girl was leaving home.
"Oh, it's okay, Ryuji," Makoto said as she brought her husband into a hug and rubbed his back to comfort him, "It's okay. I'm going to miss her too. Everything's going to be okay."
The couple stood there in the middle of the living room comforting each other, ready to soon face a life without having Himari by their side.
TO BE CONTINUED…
