Making Changes 5: Don't Say Goodbye
The following morning at the T.V station, we see Ichiro's practice broadcast wrapping up as Sumire and Kas watch from a hallway through the window. From inside the studio, we hear the camera man say, 'That's a wrap!', as we see Ichiro and Managi start to relax as they shake hands before they go out to the hallway to meet Sumire and Kas, Ichiro utilizing some crutches to help him get around with his broken leg.
"Well girls, how did I do?" Ichiro asked.
"Sweetie, you were wonderful!" Sumire said as she gave her husband a hug.
"Excellent work, dad," Kas said as she gave her father a toothy grin and a thumbs up.
"Ichiro did such good work today that I'm surprised he didn't consider becoming a sportscaster sooner," Managi said before turning to the former male gymnast, "So, what do you think? Did you like being in front of the camera?"
"Like it? I loved it!" Ichiro smiled, "I feel like my life has purpose again. Thank you so much for the opportunity, Mr. Managi."
"I was happy to offer it to you," Managi said, "But it's settled. Ichiro Tanaka, you're our newest gymnastics sportscaster! Welcome aboard, son."
"Thank you so much, sir," Ichiro said as he shook Managi's hand, "I promise you won't regret this decision. I can't wait to tell the guys later today at Hideyoshi's Smokehouse. We're gathering there to celebrate Hotaru's last day as a waiter there."
"And I can't wait to tell the girls at the bathhouse later," Sumire said, "We just have to remember that we can't hang out with them for long because we have to get ready for Sojiro's memorial dinner tonight."
"Right, thanks for reminding me, babe," Ichiro said.
Just then, Sumire and Ichiro's eyes were on Kas.
"So, Kas, what are you going to do between now and Sojiro's memorial dinner?" Sumire asked.
"Well, guys, I think today is the big day," Kas said happily.
"Why?" Managi asked, "What's going on?"
"Before I came here, I texted my girlfriend Mai, telling her to meet me at Rikugien Garden," Kas explained, "She doesn't know it yet, but I'm going to propose to her."
With that, Kas pulled out her proposal speech from one pocket, and the wedding ring from the other pocket.
"That's a very nice ring, young lady," Managi said, "Reminds me of the ring I used to propose to my wife a long time ago. Good luck to you."
"Thanks," Kas smiled as she put her speech and ring away before getting hit with the magnitude of the scenario she was facing, "Oh man, I can't believe I'm actually going to propose to Mai. This is big!"
But just then, a small fear crept into Kas' mind.
"What if something goes wrong?" Kas worried, "What if Mai says no?"
"To be honest, Kas, we don't see that happening," Sumire said.
"You and Mai have been together for years," Ichiro chimed in, "Your mother and I highly doubt she'd turn down the opportunity to spend the rest of her life with you."
"And in the event she does, well, it's her loss," Sumire said, "You're a swell young woman, Kas. Any woman would be lucky to have you for a wife."
"You mean that?" Kas asked as her parents nodded her heads. She then ran up to them and gave them a hug, "Thank you for believing in me, guys. I think I'm ready."
"Go get her, Kas," Ichiro said proudly.
"Go propose to your girlfriend, sweetie," Sumire said warmly.
"I will," Kas said as she released her parents from the hug before running out of the TV Station to go see Mai at Rikugien Garden.
Kas was seen dashing down the street as she made her way from the TV Station to Rikugien Garden, excitement coursing through her veins and oozing out of every pore of her body. As she ran, she took her proposal speech out from her pocket so she could try and memorize it as she ran. She wanted to tell Mai the speech from memory, but in the event she can't remember a line, she would keep the speech on her as a 'cheat sheet'.
As Kas continued to read and run, this meant she wasn't paying attention to where she was going. As a result, she accidently bumped into a pedestrian, causing her to lose her grip on her speech, allowing it to get swept away in the wind. When Kas got up, she quickly chased after the slip of paper containing her proposal speech the wind continued to carry it away.
The chase took her all over the neighborhood until at long last, the paper landed on the ground…only for it to get sucked up and ripped to shreds by a street cleaner.
"NO!" Kas screamed as she ran up to the shreds of paper in some vain attempt to piece it back together.
"My…My proposal speech," Kas lamented, "The best thing I've ever written. Words perfectly describing my undying love for Mai. All of it, vaporized in an instant!"
Kas was now officially down on her luck as she sat there in the middle of the road, completely crestfallen; she wanted to cry. Now what was she going to do if she forgot a line from her speech…or, worst case scenario, all of her speech. Even worse, Kas was beginning to think that the loss of her marriage speech was a bad omen of things to come. She was beginning to not only doubt herself and her abilities to deliver a wonderfully heartfelt marriage proposal, but also the status of her and Mai's relationship. Things may be going good now, but who's to say they won't hit a rough patch later down the road? Kas wanted to call the whole meeting with Mai off, but she knew how disappointed she would be if she did. Kas was avoiding Mai for most of the week to avoid spilling the beans about her proposal after all. Not to mention, she may have lost the speech, but at least she still had the ring.
With a deep breath, Kas stood up on her feet and grew a look of determination on her face.
"I have to try," Kas said to herself as continued to make her way to Rikugien Garden.
Elsewhere, we see the likes of Ann, Makoto, Nanami, Sae, Haru, Mana, Mitsu, Shiho, Saki, Futaba, Hifumi, and Reina, relaxing in the bathhouse when Sumire enters wearing nothing but a towel.
"What took you so long?" Futaba asked, "We were beginning to think you'd never show up."
"Sorry, I'm late," Sumire said as she dropped her towel and joined her friends in the water, "I just had to come back from watching my hubby at work."
"How was Ichiro's first day as a sportscaster?" Makoto asked.
"He aced it," Sumire said, proudly, "Not only that, he loves it. I think he's moved on from his injury and is ready to move on with his life."
"That's wonderful, Sumire," Shiho said before Sumire noticed the woman next to her.
"Who's this?" Sumire asked, "I don't remember her ever joining us on our bathhouse outings."
"This is the newest member of Japan's Women's Volleyball Team, Saki Kamoshida," Shiho introduced the black haired woman.
"Wait, you mean Kamoshida as in 'Suguru Kamoshida'," Sumire asked.
"That's correct, ma'am," Saki said, "But don't worry, I'm nothing like my bastard of an uncle."
"We've only been here for about 15 minutes and we can already tell that Saki is light years of a better person than Suguru ever could hope to be," Ann said.
"She's a welcome addition to not just my team, but also our friend group moving forward," Shiho said.
"Oh, well, welcome to the party, Saki," Sumire said as she shook Saki's hand.
"Glad to be here," Saki said before they faced the rest of their friends.
"So, we haven't really seen each other face-to-face since Minato's Graduation Party," Sumire said, "What's been going on with you guys?"
"Well on top of Ryuji not being a blonde anymore, I'm deciding to go back to school to become a lawyer," Makoto said.
"A lawyer?" Nanami asked, "That's great! I always thought you'd make a great lawyer whenever I saw you."
"I've already selected a school and with Himari leaving for Los Angeles with Hotaru, I can graduate and start my own firm by the time she gets back," Makoto continued.
"I'm always here for you if you need guidance on your road to becoming a lawyer, Makoto," Sae offered.
"Thanks, sis," Makoto smiled.
"Speaking of going back to school," Futaba said, "I've decided to take some hospitality and business courses so I can take over Leblanc now that Sojiro is dead and Glitch went down."
"That's wonderful news, Futaba," Hifumi said.
"Indeed," Haru chimed in, "Cafe Leblanc has been a key factor in all of our lives, so I'm glad to see it passed down to you, Futaba."
"Thanks, Haru," Futaba smiled, "Yeah, losing Sojiro hurts, and I'm going to miss him with each passing day, but I know that by holding onto Leblanc and preserving his legacy, I'm honoring him in the best possible way."
"Wherever Sojiro is at this moment, I know for a fact that he's proud of you," Shiho said.
"Thanks Shiho," Futaba said before choosing to change subjects, "Anyway, Haru, Sojiro left Yusuke that Sayuri Painting of his in his will. Do you know what you're going to do with it?"
"I'll probably hang it up somewhere in Cafe Kitamura," Haru said, "With Yusuke going off on his own world tour adventure it would be nice to have a piece of him hanging around my cafe; something we can all see everyday and to make it feel like he never left."
"Speaking of leaving, if I'm following social media correctly, a lot us are on our way out of here," Ann said, "On top of Yusuke leaving, Ren and I are going off on our own world tour vacation around the same time Kimiko leaves for Kyoto with Kaito and Minato heads off to Africa with Dr. Takemi. Himari and Hotaru are heading for Los Angeles."
"And Hayato and I are moving to Katsuura," Hifumi chimed in.
"I hear that's a beautiful city, Hifumi," Nanami said.
"My son and Hifumi have been talking about going there for the longest time when Hotaru moves out of the house," Reina said, "You two are going to love it there, trust me."
"Thanks, Reina," Hifumi smiled before thinking about her son, "You know, I'm really going to miss Hotaru when he's gone. I just hope he and Himari can take care of themselves out there."
"We've raised our children to be as sharp as tacks," Makoto said before changing subjects, "I'm sure they'll be just fine." Anyway, for one more big change, Sae and Ryuta are finally getting married."
"It really was a long time coming, wasn't it?" Sae asked, "Here I was thinking I'd never find someone to love like you all have, but then here comes Ryuta to sweep me off my feet. And with Yutaka by our sides, I can safely say that I have what every woman hopes to have; a loving family."
"As great as that is, Sae, I just have one question in mind," Futaba asked, "Bachelorette party when?"
"Don't worry, Futaba, I'll tell you all about it in due time," Sae chuckled
"Just make sure there are plenty of studmuffins there," Futaba smirked, "Mama wants to make it rain!"
"Speaking of 'mamas'," Mitsu said, "We saw your post about Riku and Nariko expecting their first baby."
"Congratulations, Auntie Futaba, Auntie Shiho," Mana said, "You two must be so proud."
"We really are, Mana," Shiho smiled, "I still can't believe that in nine months I'm going to be a grandmother."
"I wonder if Minato will ever have kids with us one day," Mana wondered.
"We can talk about that when he gets back from Africa," Mitsu said.
"Speaking of Minato, I would've thought you girls would be with him now instead of us," Ann said, "Don't get us wrong, we love your company, but Minato is going to be gone in a month. I would've thought you two would want to spend every waking moment with him."
"Believe us, we want to be with Minato as much as the next girl, but we can't seem to come up with good ideas for 'going away' presents," Mana said.
"We told ourselves that the next time we see him will be when we give him our gifts," Mitsu said, "That's why we're here. Since you ladies have been around the block a few times, we were hoping you could give us some suggestions in regards to what gifts we should give Minato."
"We'll take any suggestions you can throw at us, so don't hold back," Mana said.
The 11 women put their heads together and they all thought of ideas for gifts that Mana and Mitsu could give to Minato before he leaves for Africa.
"Well," Ann said, coming up with an idea, "One thing you could do is give him some candles with scents that remind him of home. The scents will make him feel right at home, and the lighting will give whatever room he's in a nice ambience to relax and fall asleep in."
"Another thing you can do is get him a throw blanket with your faces on it," Makoto suggested.
"I was going to say get Minato a personalized hoodie or shirt, but I like that idea more," Sae said.
"Both ideas sound great," Mitsu said, "And I think we have a few pictures of the three of us somewhere that we can use for the blanket."
"Speaking of pictures," Reina suggested, "Why don't you set up a photo album that showcases all of the good times in your relationship."
"Brilliant!" Mana said as Sumire prepared to give her suggestion.
"It would be good to give Minato something to look forward to," Sumire said, "Maybe you can get him a 'countdown calendar' so he can count the days until he can come home and be with you guys again."
"It'll give him motivation to keep going with his dreams of becoming a doctor," Mitsu said, "Smart thinking, Auntie Sumire."
"I had a long distance boyfriend in high school," Saki said, "Before we broke up we did a thing where we'd mail each other chocolates on the first Friday of every month. Who doesn't love a good piece of chocolate?"
"Preaching to the choir, Saki," Ann smiled.
"My idea is a little cheesy, but it's an idea nonetheless," Shiho said, "They make these 'Open This When' cards for people who are moving away. For example, if Minato is feeling depressed, he'll open the card that reads 'Open This When You're Feeling Sad', and inside is a heartwarming message or a funny joke. You know, something to brighten his day."
"That's not cheesy, Auntie Shiho, that's sweet," Mana said.
"If I may build upon Makoto's blanket idea, you can also give him a pillow with a personalized message on it; one that tells Minato how much you girls mean to him."
"I like it," Mitsu said.
Mana and Mitsu then look at the three remaining women who have yet to give them their ideas; Futaba, Hifumi, and their mother Haru. All three of them had embarrassed looks on their faces, implying that their ideas were a little less wholesome than the others.
"Well, I have an idea," Futaba said before she looked at some of her friends, "Remember when we made a calendar for our guys?"
"And then we sold copies of them to try and save Cafe Leblanc, yes," Makoto said, "But, go on."
"Anyway," Futaba continued, "It wouldn't hurt to make a calendar or two of your own for Minato. One calendar could have you girls in fancy dresses, another could have you in more intimate clothes or swimsuits, or others could be more casual clothes."
"Not a bad idea," Mana said.
"And building upon the idea of seductive pictures," Hifumi chimed in, "Sometimes whenever I go away for a Shogi tournament, I hate the idea that Hayato is left by himself without me to help 'satisfy his needs'. So I take these little 'pictures' of myself and leave them in an album for Hayato to look at while I'm gone."
"You mean nudes?" Mana asked bluntly.
"Yeah," Hifumi said, an embarrassed blush coming to her cheeks, "I'm just saying it would be a nice surprise for him, and a nice way for him to 'entertain himself' if he ever feels lonely."
"Alright," Mitsu said, "We'll give it a shot."
"Well, mom," Mana said as she and Mitsu looked at Haru, "What's your suggestion?"
"Unfortunately, all of the best ideas were taken," Haru said, "But, what I recommend you do is give him the most romantic love making session, or sessions given he's not leaving for another month, that you girls can muster. Really sweep him off of his feet. Make love to him as though it's the last time you'll ever make love to anything."
"No doubt Minato will like that," Mitsu said.
"Alright, I think we have all of the information we need," Mana said, "Thank you, everyone."
"You're so welcome, girls," Ann smiled.
"Well, sis, do you want to leave so we can get started on getting these gifts prepared?" Mitsu asked, "We've got a lot of work to do."
"Okay," Mana said as she and Mitsu got out of the bath, dried off, and put their towels on, "See you all at Uncle Sojiro's memorial dinner, guys!"
"Bye, girls, be safe," Haru said as everyone watched the Kitagawa Twins leave the room so they can get their boyfriend an assortment of going away gifts. With Mana and Mitsu gone, the other ladies proceeded to converse in the warm, bubbly water.
Some time later at Hideyoshi's Smokehouse, we see the likes of Ryuji, Ren, Yuuki, Yusuke, Koji, Daisuke, Ryuta, Hayato, Ichiro, and Hotaru at the bar talking over appetizers and alcoholic beverages. Everyone is gathered around Hotaru as all eyes were on his watch.
"3…2…1…and I'm free!" Hotaru cheered, "My last day as a waiter is over! Next stop, LA!"
"We're all very proud of you, Hotaru," Hayato said as he patted his son's back while the rest of the guys applauded the young man for his recent success.
"We know you'll do great out there, son," Koji said.
"Yeah," Ryuji said, "Just make sure you take good care of my little girl while you're over there."
"Trust me, Uncle Ryuji," Hotaru said, confidently, "Your daughter is in good hands."
"Yeah, Ryuji," Daisuke said, "You know Hotaru. You should know he'd never do anything to hurt you or Himari."
"I know," Ryuji sighed, "It's just that I've never been this far away from Himari before and I'm still getting used to the idea that she's not going to be here for a while."
"Aw, is daddy gonna miss his little girl," Ryuta teased.
"Shut it!" Ryuji pouted.
"Yeah, guys, let's talk about something else," Hayato said.
"You mean like the fact Ryuji isn't blonde anymore?" Ichiro said.
"I will admit that did surprise me when I saw you walk in, Uncle Ryuji," Hotaru said, "What happened?"
"I originally dyed my hair blonde to support Ann and Kimiko for whenever someone gives them a hard time because of their hair color," Ryuji explained, "Seeing that I've moved on from Ann, and Kimiko said she doesn't need me anymore, I don't really have much of a reason to keep my hair blonde. So, 'Raven Haired Ryuji' is here to stay."
"New character unlocked!" Yuuki teased.
"Speaking of 'new characters unlocked'," Yusuke said, "Your son and Daisuke's daughter are having a kid."
"On the one hand congratulations are in order," Ren said, "But on the other hand…welcome to the 'Old Timers Club'."
Hearing that made all of the guys, even Koji, a literal old timer himself, chuckle.
"That's right, I forgot that Akihiro's son Masaru is technically your grandkid," Yuuki said.
"We're all getting so old man, it's not even funny," Ryuji said.
"You're all youngins compared to me," Koji said, "Y'all are still in your 40s and are spring chickens compared to me."
"True," Yusuke said, "We do have a long way to go before we face the end of our lives."
"But don't forget, Yusuke, every ending is a new beginning," Ichiro said, "For example, my gymnastics career may be over, but I have a promising career as a gymnastics sportscaster ahead of me."
"And Sojiro might be gone, but Cafe Leblanc is going to be under new management soon once Futaba takes the necessary courses," Yuuki said.
"For real?" Ryuji asked, "Your wife is going back to school too? Makoto is going back to school to try and become a lawyer!"
"That's awesome!" Yuuki said as he and Ryuji high five.
"Unfortunately, I don't think I can be here when your wives graduate," Yusuke said, "I'll be off touring the world and giving my seminars to museums and colleges worldwide."
"Really?" Ren asked, intrigued, "Ann and I are taking off on a world tour too!"
"For real?" Ryuji asked.
"Yeah," Ren nodded, "With Minato and Kimiko moving out, Ann and I decided that now would be a good time to do something like this. It'll be a good way for the two of us to experience life, see new things, and take our mind off of things going on back home."
"Man, traveling the world," Ryuta said in amazement, "Now that's a dream."
"Speaking of traveling, any idea where you're taking Sae for your honeymoon, cousin?" Daisuke asked.
"After our 'European Vacation' date went over so well all those years ago," Ryuta explained, "I was thinking of taking Sae to the real life Paris."
"Oh, Ryuta, you're going to love it!" Yusuke said, remembering his honeymoon with Haru there, "The city and all that it has to offer is absolutely wonderful."
"Yeah, I know she'll love it," Ryuta said.
"So, Hayato, now that Hotaru is moving out of the house, what are you and Hifumi going to do?" Ryuji asked.
"Well, Ryuji," Hayato began, "For the longest time Hifumi and I have always dreamed about living in Katsuura when we retire. Since Hotaru is moving to Los Angeles for the next five years, we decided to give him our house when he comes back so we can make our move to Katsuura."
"What, you're leaving us, dude?" Yuuki asked.
"Relax, Mishima," Hayato said, "Katsuura is only a two and half hour drive from Tokyo. Hifumi and I will still visit often, and you guys are more than welcome to come visit us."
"That's great, Hayato," Ichiro said, "I'm very happy for you."
"Sounds like you all are all set for the next chapter of your lives," Koji said, after listening to what the other men had to say.
"Koji is right, everyone," Yuuki said, "By the end of this month, all of our lives are going to change forever. Folks like Hotaru, Himari, Kimiko, and Minato are moving out to start our own lives. Mine and Ryuji's wives are gearing up for a career change. Ichiro already has a career change. Yusuke, Ann, and Ren are going to be traveling the world. Hayato and Hifumi are moving to a new city. Ryuta and Sae are going to be married. Nariko and Riku are going to be parents. And, from what I've heard from Riku, Kas has plans on proposing to Mai. Absolutely nothing is going to be the same this time next year. But, to be honest, I'm kind of excited."
"Still though," Daisuke said, "For those of us that are leaving, even for just a little while, I'm really going to miss you. Look at us, just sitting here and talking shop over delicious food and cold beverages. We're not going to have many more moments like this…at least not with the whole crew here."
"We're all going to miss you too, Daisuke," Ren said, "But no matter what happens in all of our lives from this point, we always have to remember this moment."
"Amen to that, dude," Ryuji smiled as he raised his glass, "To friendship!"
"To friendship!" the other guys said as they took a hearty drink from their own respective beverages.
As the men continue talking at the bar, Minato is seen entering Hideyoshi's Smokehouse. He looks around and finds Yusuke at the bar with his friends, so he quickly goes up to the blue haired artist to talk to him.
"Hey, Uncle Yusuke," Minato said.
"Minato," Ren exclaimed, surprised.
"Hello there, Minato," Yusuke said, "What's going on?"
"Nothing much," Minato replied, "Can I talk to you for a minute. You know, in private."
"I suppose so," Yusuke said as he got up from his chair and followed Minato to the bathroom, leaving Ren to stare off after his son and the blue haired artist.
"I wonder what Minato has to tell Yusuke that he can't tell me," Ren wondered.
Eventually, Ren decided that the best thing to do was not dwell on it and go back to sharing a good time with his guy friends and Hotaru.
Elsewhere, we see Kas finally make it to Rikugien Garden. In the distance, she sees Mai waiting for her by the pond. She also sees that Mai is scanning the area around her, wondering where Kas is.
"Oh crap, she's here," Kas stressed, "And she looks a tad impatient too."
Kas took a deep breath before saying, "Well, here goes everything," and made her way towards her girlfriend.
As Kas got closer to the pond, Mai noticed the red haired woman approaching her and a big smile formed on her face.
"Kas, sweetie, you're here!" Mai said as she brought Kas into a hug, "I feel like I barely got to see you at all this week."
"Yeah, sorry, babe," Kas apologized, "A lot of things have been going on in my life that prevented me from hanging out with you as much as I would've liked."
"What matters is you're here now," Mai said, "So, what was it you wanted to show me?"
"I just wanted to talk to you," Kas said, "Do you mind if we pop a squat on that bench over there?"
"Sure," Mai said as she and Kas went over to the bench that was sitting in front of the pond and sat down.
"Beautiful view, isn't it?" Kas asked, getting more nervous with each passing second.
"Yeah," Mai said, "It was always fun sneaking in here after hours and watching the moon and the stars, wasn't it?"
"You bet," Kas said, "Especially since you were by my side, Mai."
"And we've had plenty of other great, memorable moments with each other beyond that," Mai said, "Dancing with each other at the dance marathon. Trying to help Himari win the Shuijin Academy elections."
"Hanging out with you and your folks at your lake house during the summer months, and that fireworks show during that one New Years Eve party," Kas reminisced.
"That love making session by the lake shore that one time had to be my favorite one, babe," Mai said.
"Mine too," Kas smiled, "And I'll never forget when I manned up and asked you if you wanted to be my girlfriend. You remember, at the comic book store?"
"How could I forget," Mai asked, "It was one of the happiest moments of my life."
"And we haven't looked back since then," Kas said before turning to face Mai, "Hey, Mai?"
"Yes, Kasumi?" Mai asked.
Kas blushed. It was rare when Mai referred to Kas by her full name, and she felt a jolt of excitement run through her heart whenever she did. But that jolt quickly went away when she struggled to remember the words she wrote in her proposal speech.
"I can't," Kas said, hanging her head in shame, "I can't remember."
"Can't remember what?" Mai asked, concerned.
"Well, Mai, you see," Kas said as she reached into her pocket, "I invited you here today so I could give you this."
What Kas pulled out of her pocket was a small box with a gold band ring with a diamond on it. Seeing it made Mai gasp and blush; she knew immediately why Kas has been avoiding her all week, and why she invited her to Rikugien Garden.
"Kasumi," Mai said, "Is…is that a…wedding ring?!"
"Yes, Mai," Kas nodded, "I was going to ask you to marry me with this wonderful speech that I made all by myself. I looked deep inside myself to find the words to describe just how much I love you. Not to toot my own horn, but I thought it was the best thing I've ever written. But, on the way here, I lost the piece of paper my speech was on. It got carried away in the wind and torn apart by a street cleaner. And now I can't remember a single word from this speech. You must think I'm some kind of a loser now, don't you?"
"Aw, Kas," Mai said as she gave her girlfriend another hug, "There's no way I think you're a loser. I love you more than words can describe, and I feel like I can be myself when I'm near you. You're my everything, babe, and I don't want to imagine a world without you. I love you Kasumi Tanaka II."
Hearing her girlfriend talk made tears of joy well in Kas' eyes and she was quick to return the hug that Mai was giving her.
"I love you too, Mai Mishima," Kas said, "Your face is as radiant as the shining of a thousand suns."
As soon as Kas said that, she gasped with realization.
"What is it, Kas?" Mai asked as she released her girlfriend from the hug.
"That was how I started the speech," Kas exclaimed, "I think it's all coming back to me! Uh, uh, we have something more beautiful and valuable than any treasure. Yes, it's all coming back to me!"
"I guess you just needed a little love from little old me, huh?" Mai said in a cheeky tone.
"I guess so," Kas said before remembering the rest of her speech, "Every day where I see your smiling face is a day that I hold near and dear to my heart. We've known each other since we were little kids in the playpen, and as the years went by our bond grew stronger and stronger until we became an official item. Lots of people didn't think we would make it, but we defied the odds and showed everyone what true love can do. Mai Mishima, you're the peanut to my butter, the salt to my vinegar, the macaroni to my cheese, the spring in my step, and the beat of my heart; you're my everything! And now, after a series of misadventures that I wouldn't change a thing about, mostly because you were there with me through all of them, I have one question that needs to be asked…"
At this point, Kas and Mai look at each other lovingly before Kas got down on her knees and presented Mai with the wedding ring.
"Mai Mishima," Kas continued, "Will you make me the happiest woman in the world and be my wife?"
As tears welled in her eyes, Mai gave her answer, "Yes, Kasumi! Yes, I will marry you!"
"That makes me so happy, babe," Kas smiled as she put the ring on Mai's finger, "I love you, Mai."
"I love you too, Kasumi!" Mai exclaimed as she and Kas sprung up to their feet so they could embrace and share a passionate kiss.
Mai Mishima is now Mai Tanaka.
Some time that afternoon, we see Minato walking down the street, likely back home so he could get ready for Sojiro's memorial dinner. As he walks, he suddenly gets a notification on his phone. He takes his phone out from his back pocket and he finds a text from his, Mana, and Mitsu's group chat. The text reads…
'Come over to our place, Minny, we want to talk to you. We'll leave the back door open.' - Mana
When Minato read that text, a part of him was relieved. He was worried that Mana and Mitsu were still mad at him over him leaving for Africa at the end of the month. He wasn't sure just what there was to talk about, but it was always a treat to hang out with the Kitagawa Twins. So, with a bounce in his step, Minato headed off for the Kitagawa Residence.
Once he made it to the Kitagawa Residence, Minato entered through the back door and saw that the house was empty.
"Hello?" Minato asked, "Mana, Mitsu, are you girls here?"
That's when Minato looked at a side table and found a note that read 'Mitsu's Room', with hearts drawn around it.
Curious, Minato went upstairs and found Mitsu's bedroom door open ajar. He entered Mitsu's bedroom to find it completely empty.
"Why would they want me to come here if they're not even here?" Minato wondered.
Just then, he heard the bedroom door close behind him, and Mana and Mitsu saying in a cajoling, soothing tone, 'Hi, Minny.'
Minato turned around and found a rather seductive site. It was Mana and Mitsu, and they were both wearing short red and white nurse uniforms with white stockings and red and white nurse's caps on their heads. The uniforms clung to the girls' figures very nicely, accentuating their soft curves and hugging their large breasts tightly. On top of that, they're wearing makeup; hot red lipstick, gold eyeshadow, and light pink blush. Seeing his girlfriends like this made Minato's heart pound out of his chest as hearts came to his eyes.
"Mana, Mitsu," Minato said, "You girls look so beautiful…so hot."
"We're glad you like it, baby," Mana cooed as she and Mitsu guided their boyfriend to the bed where they cuddled and made out for a few minutes.
As the two girls kissed Minato, they were slowly and seductively undressing him until he was only in a pair of boxers. Within minutes, Minato's face and body was covered in kissing marks as the make out session stopped so Mana and Mitsu could cuddle their boyfriend before the real fun started.
"This is a nice surprise, girls," Minato said with a smile, "And I'm glad to see you girls so happy. I thought for sure you two were still mad about my move to Africa."
"At first we were, but then we realized that you have to go out and live your life, sweetie," Mitsu said.
"The reason why had for not reaching out to you recently was because we were struggling to come up with going-away gift ideas for you," Mana chimed in, "So, earlier today, we asked our mom and her friends what we should do, and giving you a romantic love making session was one of the suggestions that they had."
"We figured we'd keep the theme of you becoming a doctor by dressing up in these cute and sexy little nurse's outfits," Mitsu explained, "Do you like it?"
"I absolutely love it, darlings," Minato swooned.
"And throughout the rest of this month, expect more love making sessions like this one," Mana smiled.
"Mitsu and I are going to cherish you to the fullest while you're here, Minato," Mitsu added, "And we're going to start by making love to you like there's no tomorrow."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Minato asked excitedly, "Let's do it…oh, wait, hang on! If we're doing the whole nurse costume thing, can we do some roleplaying?"
"My, aren't you the kinky one," Mana chuckled, "But sure, we can swing that."
"I'll start," Mitsu said before clearing her throat, "Sir, we got your test results back, and you've tested positive for nymphomania."
"That sounds serious," Minato said, "Is there any cure?"
"There is," Mana said seductively as she looked over at Mitsu and then back at Minato, "Take two of these and call us in the morning."
"Before we go any further I just want to point out the fact that sex won't cure nymphomania; it'll only exacerbate it," Mitsu said, breaking character.
"Don't ruin the fantasy, sis," Mana said bluntly.
Minato chuckled warmly before wrapping an arm around each of his two girlfriends.
"I love you girls so much," Minato smiled.
"We love you too, Minato," Mana and Mitsu said as their love making finally began.
Minato made love to his two girlfriends over the next hour, and he made sure to show them how much he loved them with each move he made; every thrust of his hips. If he really was going to go away for five years, he wanted to give both Mana and Mitsu a romantic time that they'll never forget, because God knows he'll never forget this. And the fact that they were currently doing it without protection aside from the birth control pills that Mana and Mitsu were on made everything feel that much sweeter.
When it was all over, Mana, Mitsu, and Minato were laying on Mitsu's bed, naked and sweating a little bit.
"That was…it was like magic," Minato said with a loving sigh.
"We're glad you like it, sweetie," Mana said.
"We have some more going away presents planned for you, Minato," Mitsu said, "We unfortunately couldn't get all of them today, though. But they should be here before you have to leave for Africa."
"More gifts?" Minato asked, surprised, "You two really didn't have to go through all of this trouble for me."
"We know we didn't have to, baby," Mitsu said, "But we wanted to. To Mana and me, you're worth it."
"We love you so much, Minato, and we want to make sure that you're all hooked up for your big trip," Mana smiled.
"Thank you girls," Minato smiled, "You two really are the best things that ever happened to me."
"Back at you, babe," Mitsu said.
"You know, on the subject of gifts, I have something that I want to give you girls too," Minato said.
"What is it?" Mana asked.
Minato got out of bed and went over to his pile of clothes, reaching inside his pant pockets to take something out. As he did, however, both Mana and Mitsu were checking out his backside.
"Minato really does have nice cakes," Mitsu whispered over to Mana.
"He doesn't have cakes," Mana whispered back, "He has a whole bakery."
At long last, Minato got what he wanted from his pants pockets and turned around to face his girlfriends, hands behind his back.
"Girls," Minato began, "We've had quite the journey together, and we've been through so much. I consider myself to be one of the luckiest people on the face of the Earth, just knowing that I have not one, but two beautiful, talented, and kindhearted women on my arm who care about me as much as I care about them. We've made and shared so many memories together, and shared so many of life's happy moments, and on this day I offer you two one more thing that I'd like to share with you; my life."
Hearing that made Mana and Mitsu gasp.
"Minato," Mitsu began as she and Mana sat on the edge of the bed, "Are you asking us if we want to-"
"Yes, girls," Minato said as he got down on his knees and presented Mana and Mitsu with their wedding rings, "Mana and Mitsu Kitagawa, will you marry me?"
Mana and Mitsu's eyes lit up and tears of joy started to form in them.
"Oh, Minato," Mitsu swooned, "Yes, I will marry you!"
"And me too!" Mana exclaimed, "We'd love to be married to you and be forever yours, just like you'll forever be ours!"
"I'm glad," Minato smiled as he put the ruby ring on Mana's finger and the sapphire ring on Mitsu's finger. The Kitagawa Twins looked at the rings in awe and wonder.
"These rings are so beautiful, Minato," Mana said as Mitsu nodded her head.
"Two beautiful rings, for two very beautiful girls," Minato said.
"Thank you, Minato," Mana said as she and Mana brought him into a hug, "This is the best day of our lives."
"The only problem I see is that you leave in one month, and that's not a lot of time to plan a wedding," Mitsu said.
"If you two are willing to wait, we'll have the wedding as soon as I come home from Africa," Minato said.
"For you Minato, we're willing to wait a thousand years," Mitsu said.
"This is so great! I can't wait until we tell everybody!" Mana said.
"Everyone should be gathering at Leblanc for Sojiro's Memorial Dinner," Minato said, "Let's go get ready."
"Okay," Mana and Mitsu said as they, along with Minato, went to the bathroom to take a shower together before getting ready for Sojiro's Memorial Dinner.
At Cafe Leblanc, it was basically a who's who of all of the people Sojiro has ever met in life. On top of the usual suspects like our main cast, we have the Hashimoto family, the Hagiwara family, Wataru Koyama, Kazuya and Naoya Makigami, Eiko Takao, Munehisa and Kaoru Iwai, Zenkichi and Akane Hasegawa, Shinya Oda, Mika, Tae Takemi, all of Daisuke and Ryuta's family, Nanami, Koji, Reina, Ichiko Ohya, Saki Kamoshida, Chihya Mifune, and Lala Escargot among others. Sojiro, his cafe, and his curry have touched the lives of so many that they had to come to Leblanc to pay their respects. The only people missing from this dinner were Minato, Mana, and Mitsu, who were on their way to the cafe as we speak. We see the original 14 members of the main cast, along with Akihiro, Wataru, Yutaka, Morgana, Sae and Ryuta, as they admire all of the people who showed up.
"Man, what a turn out," Ryuji said, amazed.
"Sojiro has touched the lives of so many people," Ann said, "I'd be surprised if this many people didn't show up to his memorial dinner."
"Even though Wataru and I don't know Sojiro personally like you all," Akihiro said, "The impact that he left on this community is felt and shown through all of these people. He's definitely in heaven with my old man now."
"And once I take the necessary courses and graduate with a hospitality degree, this place will be mine and I can continue Sojiro's legacy," Futaba smiled.
"We know you'll make him proud, Futaba," Ren said, "Other than myself, you're the only other person who knows Sojiro's recipes inside and out."
"I won't let you guys or Sojiro down," Futaba said with confidence, "Count on it."
"I will admit it'll be weird to see Sayuri not on the wall where it has been the last few decades," Yusuke said as he looked at the blank space on the wall where the Sayuri painting once was; the painting itself now being displayed in Cafe Kitamura.
"We figured before you go off on your world tour we could commission you to make a painting of Sojiro that we can hang in Sayuri's place," Yuuki said, "We'll even pay you for it."
"For friends, consider this on the house," Yusuke smiled, "I'd be honored to paint a portrait of Sojiro so it can be put on display here for years to come."
"You know something, Inari, you're alright!" Futaba said as she gave Yusuke a hug, which he returned.
As the main group continued to hang out, they saw Sadayo and Yamato's adopted daughter Nayoko calling over to Yutaka.
"Yutaka, come over here!" Nayoko called, "I want to introduce you to some of my friends!"
"Coming, Nayoko!" Yutaka said gleefully as he ran over to the black haired girl.
"Our boy is head over heels in love with Sadayo and Yamato's girl, there's no doubt about it," Ryuta said.
"Just double checking, you're going to be the one to give him 'the talk', right?" Sae asked her fiance.
"Of course," Ryuta said.
Just then, Sadayo and Yamato come up to the main group to chat with them.
"I guess you guys are talking about how well Yutaka and Nayoko have hit it off?" Sadayo asked.
"That's right," Sae said.
"Can you imagine if these two get married and we all become in-laws?" Ryuta asked.
"Let's not rush things, now," Yamato said, "They're not even dating yet."
"Regardless, you must be excited for when Yutaka and Nayoko come of age and enroll in Shujin Academy," Ren said, "Nayoko would feel good knowing her mother and father work there."
"Especially if both of her parents are teachers there," Yamato said.
"What do you mean by that?" Makoto asked.
"I've decided to end my tenure as a Shujin Academy janitor," Yamato said, "I'm going to night school so I can get my teaching degree and become a teacher so I can actually make a difference in the lives of some of these students."
"That's great!" Hayato smiled, "So, what subject do you plan on teaching?"
"I've always had this penchant for history," Yamato said, "Maybe that."
"Well good luck to you, dude," Ryuji said.
"Thanks," Yamato said.
"Well, Yami and I are going to go mingle," Sadayo said, "See you later."
"Bye," Futaba said as the teacher and former janitor went elsewhere.
"So Yamato is going to night school to try and better himself," Shiho asked.
"Just comes to show you that you're never too old to try and learn new things," Wataru said.
"Don't I know it," Makoto, a soon-to-be college bound woman, said.
"Not to mention now that they have Nayoko in the picture, they're both going to need some well paying jobs to support her," Sumire said.
"Hey, guys," came Akane's voice.
The group look to find Akane, Zenkichi, and Shinya walking over to them.
"Long time no see," Zenkichi said.
"I guess it has been a while since we last saw each other, hasn't it?" Haru asked as the Zenkichis and Shinya approached them.
"Well get used to seeing me around this city more often because I'm moving back to Tokyo," Zenkichi said.
"For real?" Ryuji asked, "That's awesome."
"Yeah, I figured I'd try and be closer to my daughter and her husband now that they're married," Zenkichi said.
"I can't believe I'm only asking this now, but who did your daughter marry?" Makoto asked.
"You're looking at my husband right now," Akane said as she wrapped an arm around Shinya.
"Wait, Akane, you're married to Shinya?!" Ren asked, amazed.
"Why didn't any of you tell us?" Ann asked.
"Neither of you asked," Shinya responded.
"How did you two even meet," Ichiro asked.
"Years ago, a friend of mine dragged me to this video game convention in Osaka and that's when I ran into Shinya," Akane explained, "We hit it off almost immediately."
"Well congratulations to the both of you," Akihiro said.
"Thanks, man," Shinya said, "Well, we won't both you guys any longer than we already have."
"You weren't bothering us at all," Ren said, "We're very happy that you guys found love and that Zenkichi is moving back here."
"Thanks, Ren," Zenkichi said, "Well, see you later."
"Take it easy," Yusuke said as Zenkichi, Akane, and Shinya went elsewhere.
"Akane has come a long way since we first met her all those years ago," Haru said.
"So have we, love," Yusuke said, "Every one of us has done a lot of growing up.
Just then, the group heard another voice talking to them.
"Hope, y'all didn't get too lonely without me," came a familiar voice with a country drawl.
The group looked to find Chihaya Mifune walking up to them. She's wearing a very different wardrobe than she did when she was younger, her outfit consisting of clothes that you'd see a farmer wearing. Nevertheless, she looked as cheery and radiant as ever.
"Mifune," Ren smiled, "How nice to see you."
"Glad to be here, Ren," Mifune said as she gave the bespectacled man a hug, "Sorry I couldn't make it to your little boy's graduation. I've been busy helping out on my brother's farm. I can't believe it's been five years since I moved out of Tokyo and back to my old home."
"Time really does fly, doesn't it?" Yuuki said.
"So, what have you been up to since then?" Hayato asked.
"Like I said, after my dad kicked the bucket he handed the farm over to my younger brother," Mifune said, "As soon as I heard I offered him my services and now we run it together. It's been hard, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't rewarding."
"As long as you're happy, Mifune, that's all that matters," Ren said.
"Believe me, Ren, I'm very happy," Mifune said, "Especially since I met somebody at the market six months ago and we've been going steady ever since."
"You've found love!" Akihiro smiled.
"Congratulations," Ichiro said.
"Thank you," Mifune said, "But you guys seem happy right now."
"Not too happy though," Futaba said, "This is a memorial dinner for someone who was very close to all of us."
"Yeah, I know," Mifune said, "Sorry for your loss."
"Thanks," Futaba said.
"Well, I'm going go grab me some of that curry," Mifune said, "I haven't eaten since earlier this morning and I am starving."
"Enjoy," Ren said.
"Thank you," Mifune said as she went to where the curry was being served.
"It's so nice to see Mifune after so long," Ann said.
"Mifune's return, Zenkichi moving back to Tokyo, Shinya and Akane being an item, and Yamato trying to become a teacher," Haru said, "I wonder if there are any other surprises in store for us?"
As if on cue, Mana, Mitsu, and Minato finally make it to the memorial dinner. And when they entered, Mana shouted at the top of her lungs, "WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!"
This caught just about everyone's attention, including the likes of Kimiko, Kaito, Nariko, Riku, Mai, Himari, Hotaru, and Kas.
"That's now how I would've told everyone, but I can understand you're excited so I'll let it slide," Mitsu said to her sister.
"You guys are getting married?" Haru asked her daughters and Minato.
"Yup," Mana said, happily, "Minato proposed to us moments ago, and Mitsu and I have the rings to prove it."
Mana and Mitsu show off their wedding rings to the adults.
"Very pretty," Daisuke said.
"Congratulations," Makoto smiled.
"Way to bag two ladies, Minato," Ryuji said, giving Minato a pat on the back.
"Thanks, Uncle Ryuji," Minato said.
"Mana and Mitsu are lucky to have you, son," Ren said, realizing that Minato wanted to talk to Yusuke alone so he could get his blessing.
"Well, I feel lucky to have them, dad," Minato smiled, "No exaggeration, this might be the best day of my life."
"May you and my daughters have all of the happiness in the world, Minato," Yusuke smiled.
"Thanks, Uncle Yusuke," Minato said just as his, Mana, and Mitsu's other eight friends come up to them.
"Did I hear that right?" Kimiko asked, "You, Mana, and Mitsu are getting married?"
"Yup," Minato nodded, "We won't be getting married until I get back from Africa though."
"Hey, that's fine, dude," Hotaru said, "You know what they say, 'Good things come to those who wait'."
"You're not the only one who tied the knot, Minato," Mai said as she showed off her ring, "Check it out!"
"Awesome, Kas, you did it!" Minato said.
"You bet your ass I did!" Kas smiled, "Mai and I have officially made it…official!"
"Congratulations to the both of you," Mana smiled.
As the 11 young adults talked amongst themselves about the new developments going on in their lives, their parents, along with Sae, Ryuta, Akihiro, and Wataru were watching them.
"I know I've only known my half-brother for a few months," Akihiro began, "But I'm proud of him. The wedded life is truly bliss."
"I hope one day I'm lucky enough to experience such joys," Wataru said wistfully.
"I can't believe how much those kids have grown up," Sae said.
"They're entering the next phases of life, babe," Ryuta said, "Marriage, careers, children, living on their own. I know they seem like daunting tasks, but I know for a fact that they're going to knock things out of the park."
"I think so too, Ryuta," Daisuke said.
As the likes of Ren, Ann, Ryuji, Makoto, Daisuke, Shiho, Hayato, Hifumi, Futaba, Yuuki, Ysuuke, Haru, Sumire, and Ichiro continued to watch their children talk amongst themselves, they all saw their 19-23 year old children as the 5-9 year old children they wish they still were. They may long for and miss the days when they were small children, but they knew that growing up was a part of life. And even though they're all geared up for the next phase in life, they'll always be the cute little boys and girls they once knew.
Morgana could sense how emotional everyone was becoming and decided to sneak outside for some fresh air. Ren noticed this and asked the cat where he was going.
"Where are you heading, Morgana?" Ren asked.
"Just stepping out to get some fresh air, Ren," Morgana said, "I'll be back soon."
With that, Morgana made his way outside through the backdoor to the alley.
Once outside, Morgana stood by the door to relax with his thoughts. Even he couldn't believe how quickly time flew by. It seemed like only yesterday he helped Ren and his friends fight off an assortment of Shadows in the Metaverse and save Tokyo, and the world, from Yaldabaoth and Maruki. A few years after that they all got married and had kids of their own, and that brought him back to the present day where those same kids are all grown up and ready to grab life by the horns. Sure, he would be living with Kaito and Kimiko in Kyoto, but it doesn't diminish the emotional impact that their growth had on him.
"Where does the time go," Morgana wondered to himself as he looked up at the night sky.
As Morgana continued star gazing, he was too distracted to pay attention to the sound of footsteps coming towards him. When the sound stopped, the sound that finally caught his attention was a familiar voice saying, "Hello, Morgana."
Surprised, Morgana turned around and saw a familiar figure with platinum hair, gold eyes, and a blue dress; it was Lavenza!
"Lavenza?!" Morgana exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"
"Master Igor thought it would be a good idea to check on you," Lavenza answered, "It has been a while since you last saw action, hasn't it?"
"You can say that again," Morgana nodded.
"I see you've been keeping well," Lavenza said, "But the lack of action certainly shows on your current physical state."
Morgana looked down on the ground sheepishly. Ever since retiring as a Phantom Thief and living with Ren, Ann, Kimiko, and Minato, Morgana has gotten a tad lazy and complacent, usually spending his days napping or feasting on fatty tuna, which resulted in a bit of a weight gain.
"It could be worse," Morgana said, "At least I'm not eating trayful after trayful of lasagna like that one cat in those comics Minato used to read as a child."
Lavenza chuckled before she continued talking, "Regardless, you look really happy. Would you like to say hello to Master Igor?"
"He's here?" Morgana asked.
"No," Lavenza said before spawning a mirror out of thin air, "But you can talk with him using this."
Lavenza handed Morgana the mirror, and the cat looked into it. Suddenly, his reflection was replaced with the face of Igor.
"Igor!" Morgana gasped at the sight of his creator, and the Velvet Room's owner.
"Hello, Morgana," Igor said, "I take it Lavenza found you with no problems."
"Yeah," Morgana nodded, "She found me. But what's up?"
"Lavenza and I just wanted to see how you were enjoying life with your new family now that you're retired as a Phantom Thief," Igor said.
"It's going great," Morgana smiled, "Ren and Ann are always so nice to me, and their kids, Minato and Kimiko, are even better; the spitting image of their parents. They're actually all grown up now and ready to move out and start careers. I'm actually moving in with Kimiko and her boyfriend Kaito when they move to Kyoto soon. Maybe I'll get to see them get married and have kids of their own."
"That's wonderful," Igor said, "I'm very glad you've found something resembling a purpose ever since the way to the Metaverse has been closed up."
"Master and I were worried that you'd spent the last few years floundering about," Lavenza said.
"No floundering going on over here," Morgana said, "But how are things going for you guys since the days of the Phantom Thieves?"
"Things couldn't be any better," Igor said, "Everything is as it should be; nice and peaceful. Of course, we always do have to keep certain things in check."
"What do you mean by that?" Morgana asked, a tinge of worry in his voice, "You're not thinking the Metaverse will suddenly appear again, right?"
"Master and I are doing everything in our power to make sure the evils of the Metaverse are kept in check," Lavenza said, "But there's always a chance that something might slip through the cracks."
"So you're saying there's a chance that the Phantom Thieves could make a comeback?" Morgana asked, "Because if so, Ren and his friends are in their forties now. Their bodies can't take as much abuse as they used to."
"Settle down, Morgana," Igor said, "Ren Amamiya and his friends have had their moment in the sun. In the event the Metaverse does reappear, we've been looking into potential new recruits."
"It's true," Lavenza said, "Over the years I've been monitoring the populus of this city to see who would be up to the task should the worst case scenario take place. And the children of Ren and Ann Amamiya, Ryuji and Makoto Sakamoto, Yusuke and Haru Kitagawa, Futaba and Yuuki Mishima, and Sumire and Ichiro Tanaka, along with their friends seemed to be the perfect candidates."
A flashback sequence takes place that shows Lavenza, in her butterfly form, spying on Minato and his friends during different points of their lives.
First is Minato himself, who Lavenza saw when he was only three years old. This was from the same instance where Ren and Ann were worried that they lost him at the park (As seen in 'Amamiya Family Beach Vacation')
Nariko: From the events of 'Make 'em Laugh..or Cry', we see her walking towards Rikugien Garden with her cookie tray in hand when Lavenza passes by.
Hotaru: In the middle of filming a short film, Lavenza's butterfly form passes by his camera lens.
Himari: While practicing tennis, Lavenza's butterfly form flutters on by, narrowly avoiding getting hit by a tennis ball.
Mana and Mitsu: While having their picnic with their family and friends at the end of 'Haru: The the Wheel', the two girls look up to see Lavenza's butterfly form flying overhead.
Kas: While on a bike ride, she had to stop at a crosswalk and wait for traffic to dissipate. As she did, Lavenza's butterfly form flew right by her.
Riku and Mai: The two are seen leaving the arcade when Lavenza's butterfly form flew by right behind them.
Kaito: He's getting ready to use his telescope when he sees Lavenza's butterfly form flying by from across the street; he was amazed that a butterfly would be out during twilight, when most butterflies would be settling in for the night.
Kimiko: When she was a baby and Ren and Ann took our out for a walk in her stroller, Lavenza's butterfly form landed on her nose to get a closer look, causing the baby to sneeze, scaring the butterfly away.
Yutaka: Back when he was fending for himself in his water tower, Lavenza's butterfly form flies by, and all the tough youngster could do was stare as she flew by.
Wataru: On his way to work in the radio station at Sapporo, before he made it big as a singer, he encounters Lavenza's butterfly form briefly before she flies away.
Akihiro: While on his way to his boat one day on his way out to sea, Lavenza's butterfly form passes by as he loads his gear onto the boat.
Nayoko: While at the orphanage she was staying at, before Sadayo and Yamato picked her up, she was playing on the swingset on the playground when Lavenza's butterfly form passed by.
As the flashback sequence ends, Morgana lets all of this sink in.
"You really don't think things will get so bad that it'll come to that, do you?" Morgana asked.
"We're doing everything in our power to make sure the worst case scenario doesn't happen," Igor said, "But in the event it does, you and the Phantom Thieves' next of kin will need to be prepared to pacify whatever evil shows its face."
Morgana stayed silent for a few seconds before nodding his head with a look of determination, "Alright, Master, you've got it!" he said, "If anyone thinks they're bad enough to wreak havoc and destruction, they'll have to get through me and our team of 'New Thieves'!"
Igor and Lavenza smile at the cat's convictions before all three start hearing footsteps approaching from inside Leblanc.
"Uh oh, someone's coming," Morgana said as Lavenza picked up her mirror, "You guys had better get out of here."
"Right," Lavenza said, "Take care of yourself, Morgana."
"Farewell, Morgana," Igor said as his image started to disappear from the mirror, "I wish you and your family the best."
With that, Lavenza disappeared just as Kimiko came out to the back alley to find Morgana standing by himself.
"There you are, Morgana," Kimiko said, happily as she picked the cat up, "I was looking everywhere for you. Come back inside, dad and Auntie Futaba are going to give a speech about Uncle Sojiro."
Kimiko and Morgana then left the alleyway to go back into the cafe so they could witness Ren and Futaba's speech.
Kimiko and Morgana made it just in time to see Ren and Futaba get in the middle of the cafe, ready to give their speech.
"Hello, everyone," Futaba began, "First off, we'd like to thank you all for coming to show your support for us and especially for Sojiro, whose kind nature and delicious curry has been a Yongen-Jaya staple for years. And I'm proud to announce that I'll be going to school to take some business and hospitality courses so I can take over the cafe in Sojiro's place and continue his legacy."
This announcement made everyone present applaud before Ren started to talk.
"Even though Cafe Leblanc is about to be under new management, we shouldn't forget all the good Sojiro did for us while he was here," Ren said, "He treated everyone close to him as though they were his own children; giving them advice, bellies full of good food, and in cases like mine and Futabas, a place to stay. In my case, he was generous enough to take care of and house me when I was sent to Tokyo as part of my probation."
"And he got me out of a really bad situation with my uncle," Futaba said, "I don't even know where I'd be right now if it weren't for him; I owe Sojiro my life. I don't know where Sojiro is right now, but I know that he's reunited with my mother, Wakaba Isshiki, the woman he loved before she was taken away from us too soon."
"He's definitely moved on to a better place," Ren concurred, "Sojiro was the kind of person everyone should be in this life; kind, wise, compassionate, and knows his way around a joke when the time calls for it."
"As cliche as this sounds for a speech like this," Futaba said, "We lost a great man down here on Earth, but heaven has gained an angel. Again, I know it's a cliche line, but that shows you how we viewed Sojiro when he was alive; a saint."
"In closing, we'd like to thank Sojiro for everything he's done for us over the years," Ren said.
"And I hope that we can meet him again someday when it's our turn to pass on to the otherside," Futaba said as she and Ren picked up their drinking glasses, "Again, thank you all for coming, and Sojiro, here's to you!"
"TO SOJIRO!" Everyone exclaimed as the raised their glasses before taking a sip from them.
Once the speech ended, everyone went back to eating curry and mingling until it was time to go home for the night.
About two hours later, most of the party goers went home and the only ones that remained were The Amamiyas, both branches of the Watanabes, the Sakamotos, the Kitagawas, the Tanakas, the Mishimas, the Yajimas, the Hashimotos, the Hagiwaras, and Wataru. The group of people started to clean up any and all messes before going home. In the middle of cleaning, however, Kimiko remembered something. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the cloth badge of the Phantom Thief logo that she found in her dad's special box earlier. She then looked at her father and decided that now was as good a time as any to question him about it.
"Hey, guys," Kimiko began as all eyes were on her now, "If you're not too busy, I have something I want to show you all."
"We always have time for you, babe," Kaito said as everyone walked over to her.
"What's going on, half-sister of mine?" Akihiro asked.
"Well, before I show you all what I want to show you, I first want to apologize to mom and especially dad," Kimiko began, "I found what I found when I went into your room to look for some of your love potion."
"Kim, there are many things we're going to miss about you when you're gone," Ann said, sternly "You breaking into our room to steal some of our love potion is one of the things we won't miss about you."
"I don't blame you," Kimiko said, "Anyway, I found the love potion in dad's trunk where I also found this."
With that, Kimiko pulled the Phantom Thief logo out from her pocket, much to everyone's surprise, especially Ren and Ann's.
"Is that the Phantom Thief logo?" Minato asked his sister.
"Yes," Kimiko answered, "I was going to ask mom and dad where they got it from. I never really hear them talk about the Phantom Thieves or show any interest in them, so it struck me as odd as to why they had it in their possession."
At that moment, Ren and Ann knew that it was time to come clean about everything. The couple looked at each other and nodded.
"We knew this day would come eventually," Ren said, "I guess it's time we told you all the truth."
"Ryuji, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, Haru, Sumire," Ann called her friend over, "Care to join us?"
"Yup," Futaba said as the six humans and even Morgana went over to join Ren and Ann.
"What is going on?" Hayato asked.
"Well, Hayato," Ren began before his wife and six friends said in unison…
"We are the Phantom Thieves!"
Hearing that made the Thieves' friends, with the exception of Yuuki and Sae, eyes widen in shock.
"Wait, what?!" Shiho exclaimed.
"You're joking!" Ichiro exclaimed.
"Nope, we're serious," Ren said, "I'm the leader of the pack, Joker!"
"Skull," Ryuji said.
"Panther," Ann said.
"Fox," Yusuke said.
"Queen," Makoto said.
"Oracle," Futaba said.
"Noir," Haru said.
"And Violet," Sumire said.
"And Morgana over here is now what he seems," Ren said.
"You mean he's a Phantom Thief too!?" Daisuke asked.
"Yup," Ren said, "He may look like an ordinary cat right now, but once he's in the Metaverse, he becomes Mona, a bipedal cat and, in a way, the Phantom Thieves' mascot."
"Also, Morgana can talk," Ann chimed in, "Anyone who has been in the Metaverse can understand him."
"Ah-ha! Ah-ha! Ah-ha!" Daisuke said, "I knew he could talk! I thought I was just hallucinating because of Takemi's weed, but he can actually talk!"
"We also had others join our ranks," Ren said, "Zenkichi Hasegawa, who was at this very memorial dinner, he was a Phantom Thief too."
"We also had another in the form of Goro Akechi," Ryuji said, "But…"
And then Ryuji suddenly bursts out into song.
"We don't talk about Goro, no, no, no," Ryuji sang, "We don't talk about Goro…"
"Ryuji," Makoto said sternly, bringing her husband back down to Earth.
"No way," Ryuta said, "I still don't believe this."
"Well believe it, babe," Sae said, "I helped them on a few occasions, with the most notable occasion being the theft of Masayoshi Shido's heart."
"You knew about the Phantom Thieves' true identities, babe?" Ryuta asked.
"She's not the only one," Yuuki said as he stepped forward, "I assisted the Phantom Thieves in their endeavors by starting up the Phan-Site. I know it's not the same as fighting alongside them, but I did what I could to help them."
"You knew, too, dad?" Riku asked.
"Yes, son," Yuuki said, "I knew the whole time."
"I knew at the very least Ren was a Phantom Thief," Sadayo admitted, "But you guys too?!"
"The only other person who knew of our true identities was Sojiro," Yusuke said.
"We know it may come as a surprise to all of you, and we're sorry for not telling you all sooner," Makoto said, "We weren't sure how you'd all handle this news. We hope you're all not too angry with us."
"How can we be angry?" Hayato asked, "This is awesome! I can't believe we're friends with the Phantom Thieves of Hearts!"
"Forgetting being friends with them," Himari said, "What about being related to them by blood!"
"This is truly amazing!" Hifumi smiled.
"Guys, please tell me I have your permission to make a movie based on you and your adventures!" Hotaru begged, "I promise not to use your actual names!"
"Forget that," Wataru said, "I want to make a song based on you guys! I know it'll hit the top of the charts!"
All of the Phantom Thieves' friends and children started to chatter in excitement, and the cacophony of noise was so immense that they could barely hear themselves think.
"Shut up!" Ryuji exclaimed as everyone fell silent.
"As far as making movies or songs around us go, we'll play it by ear," Ren said, "But for the moment, our identities have to remain a secret. This is probably the biggest secret anyone has ever told either one of you. And like all secrets, it should be kept under wraps until further notice. Can we trust you?"
"Yes, father," Minato said as everyone else nodded in agreement.
"Our lips are sealed," Yutaka said.
"Excellent," Ren said.
"Here dad," Kimiko said as she tried to give her father her cloth badge back, "Again, I'm sorry for snooping around in your room."
"Actually, Kim, why don't you keep that," Ren said.
"Really?" Kimiko asked, excitedly.
"Yeah," Ren nodded, "Take it with you to Kyoto as a way to remember your mother and me."
"Wow, thanks, dad!" Kimiko smiled, "I promise to take real good care of it!"
"I know you will, pumpkin," Ren said before looking at the large group of family and friends that he's made over the years. The bespectacled man started to get emotional seeing all of their smiling faces, knowing that they all love and respect him in some way, shape, or form. He let out a wistful sigh as Ann got close to her husband.
"Something on your mind, babe?" Ann asked.
"No," Ren said, "I guess I just got hit with the magnitude of the fact that by the end of the month, a good amount of us will be separated. This is it. We're all going to be broken up like some 60s rock band."
"Like I told Himari, Ren," Yusuke said, "Goodbyes are a part of life."
"And besides, you'll see us again," Hotaru said, "Five years will be over just like that *finger snap*."
"They say absence makes the heart grow fonder," Sae said, "Something tells me that when we reunite again five years from now, it'll be just like seeing each other for the first time."
"Yeah," Ren said, "I'm just really going to miss you guys. No joke, you guys are some of the best friends that I've ever had. And the idea that we're moving on, and our kids have all grown up and ready to start lives of their own tells me that this is the end of an era."
"That may be," Minato said, "But that only means we can create a brand new one better than the last one. Don't think about what we're losing here, dad, think about what we're gaining; new opportunities, new adventures, new experiences. I don't know about you guys, but I for one am looking forward to what awaits us down the road."
"Well said, Minny," Mitsu said.
"Come here, pops," Minato said as he, Kimiko, Ann, and Morgana brought the Amamiya patriarch into a group hug, warming his heart.
"Just promise me that no matter what happens, we'll all keep in touch and we'll never forget each other," Ren said.
"We promise dad," Kimiko said.
"We're all here for you Ren," Ryuji said as he watched the Amamiyas hug things out.
"That's right," Makoto said, "Every last one of us."
The rest of the people present voice their approval and support as the Amamiyas free Ren from their group hug. Ren looked at all of his friends with a warm smile on his face as he started to reminisce about all of the good times that he and his friends have shared.
Moment #1: Ren, Ann, and Ryuji playing at the arcade after defeating Kamoshida; Ann is seen winning a Jack Frost plushie from the claw machine.
Moment #2: Ren, Ryuji, and Yuuki partaking in 'Operation Maidwatch'
Moment #3: We see Ren, Ryuji, Yusuke, Ann, Makoto, Morgana, and Futaba at Mirua Beach after Futaba joined the group.
Moment #4: Ren, Ryuji, Morgana, Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, and Haru having fun at Destinyland after defeating Kunikazu Okumura.
Moment #5: The gang drives Ren back to his hometown after his probation ends.
Moment #6: The Phantom Thieves, along with Shiho, Hifumi, Hayato, Daisuke, and Ichiro making giant pancakes in the back alley of Cafe Leblanc as seen in 'The Giant Pancake Challenge'.
Moment #7: The gang is seen driving out of Fukochiku as they listen to the rhythm of 'Betty' by Yung Gravy as seen in 'Thievz n' the Hood'.
Moment #8: The gang, high as kites on Takemi's weed, are seen dancing to Skee-Lo's 'I Wish' in Ichiro's treehouse as seen in 'One Crazy Night'.
Moment #9: The gang are seen cuddling after their steam room 'lovefest' as seen in 'Getting Steamy'.
Moment #10: Everyone is seen celebrating Haru and Yusuke's wedding as seen in 'Marriage (Kitagawa Family Genesis)'.
Moment #11: Everyone is seen driving down the road with Haru as she safely drives everyone to Inokashira Park in 'Haru, Take the Wheel.'
Moment #12: Everyone is seen at Hikari Amamiya's memorial in the Amamiya Family's backyard in 'Child That Never Was'.
Moment #13: The group are seen having a Thanksgiving meal in 'Happy Thanksgiving, Ann'.
Moment #14: Everyone is seen celebrating Makoto's Birthday Party in 'Makoto's Birthday'
Moment #15: Everyone is seen laughing at Ryuji's expense at the end of the zombie apocalypse prank in 'Ryuji vs. The Zombie Apocalypse'.
Moment #16: Everyone is seen by the lakeshore of the Tanaka Family Lake House watching the New Years' Fireworks Display at the end of 'Ringing in the New Year With a Bang'.
Moment #17: The group is seen laughing their heads off after the Vomitron prank at the end of 'April Fools Week'.
Moment #18: Everyone is seen competing in the dance marathon to try and save Cafe Leblanc in 'Dancing Through Sunlight'.
Moment #19: The gang witnesses Ryuta proposing to Sae in 'A Night at the Cafe'.
Moment #20: Everyone applauds for Minato after his graduation speech in 'Graduation'.
When the flashback ends, Ren looks at each and every single one of his friends and says, "We really did have a good life together, didn't we?"
"The best," Yuuki said as everyone concurred with this statement by nodding.
"Regardless of where life takes us," Ren said as he holds out his fist, "I know we'll all meet again."
"You better believe it," Ryuji said as he held out his fist.
"Yeah," Futaba said as she held out her fist.
One by one the rest of the group held out their fists and gave each other a collective fist bump, vowing to meet again should the fates allow it. Morgana sees this and meows something out, catching Sae's attention.
"Hey, Ren, you said Morgana could talk, but you guys are the only ones who can understand him" Sae said, "What did he say just now?"
Ren smiled warmly, looking at his friends and family one last time and replied with, "He said…I love you guys."
TO BE CONCLUDED…