This is Lotus

This is Saiki

Saiki and Lotus

~Thoughts of others~

Spring into the Saiki Family - Part 2: The Amusement Park

"Good morning!"

Kusuo wasn't expecting this first thing in the morning. He'd gotten up and escaped whatever odd happenings were going on in his grandfather's mind, making his way to the kitchen. He'd been summoned, beckoned down the hall by the appetizing scent that wafted throughout the home like a siren's song guiding a sailor toward his doom. But unlike a sailor, Kusuo would not meet his doom but rather have an encounter of the Lotus kind.

He expected his grandmother, even his own mother, to be in the kitchen preparing breakfast, but instead, he found his girlfriend had taken the helm. She wore one of Kumi's aprons, the older woman being more than happy to lend it over. Kumi herself was sitting at the table, a fresh cup of tea in hand. By her side was Kurumi, the woman enjoying her own cup of tea.

"Kusuo, good morning!" Kumi greeted.

"Morning Ku!"

Lotus hummed, hips swaying, as she used a set of chopsticks to put the finishing touch on the meal.

"Isn't this just lovely? I can't remember the last time I had a home-cooked meal made by someone else," Kumi beamed.

"Isn't Lotus just the best mom? And her food is so delicious." Kurumi bragged just a bit, just like a proud mother-in-law would.

"I can't wait."

"Hey, something smells good."

Dragging his feet, in came Kuniharu. Glasses slightly askew, hair disarranged from his sleepy venture.

"Good morning dear. Lotus is making us breakfast," Kurumi said.

"Really?" Kuniharu appeared at the table so fast you'd thought that he had teleported there.

"Don't look so eager now."

"Okay, guys!" Lotus turned off the stove before turning around. "It's all done."

With skills worthy of any server, Lotus set up the table, a delicious spread set before the Saiki family.

"I thought I'd go more traditional this morning, so I've got freshly steamed rice, fish, miso soup, and enough tamagoyaki for all."

"Wow, it looks great!" Kumi said.

"Thank you so much, Lotus," Kurumi said.

"Let's dig in!" Kuniharu cheered.

Kusuo sat across the table from his family, eating without making a single noise. But the same couldn't be said about the others.

"Incredible, this fish is perfect," Kumi said.

"And this tamagoyaki just melts in my mouth," Kuniharu said.

"Oh, it's all so good," Kurumi said.

"I'm glad you all like it," Lotus said. She beamed with pride, happy to know that her culinary skills still held up.

"As the saying goes, the closest way to someone's heart is through the stomach."

"What's all the ruckus? Why are you all so loud?"

Stomping in, with a perpetual face of discontent was Kumagoro. Still in his pajamas, with a newspaper tucked under his arm.

"Good morning, dear."

"Morning Dad!"

"Hey, Dad!"

Kumagoro's glare struck Kuniharu, the man shrinking back in his seat.

"Dear, Lotus here was kind enough to make us breakfast. Come on, sit down and have some."

Kumagoro huffed. "All I need is my morning tea." He walks past the group, brushing by Lotus to head towards the pot of freshly brewed tea. He poured himself a cup and left the room without another word.

"Aw, I wished he'd of tried some," Kurumi said.

"Oh, don't worry, dear. Your Dad's not a big breakfast eater," Kumi said.

"He's gonna hurt Lotus's feelings," Kuniharu said.

"No, no, I'm fine. I take no offense. I'm just happy that you all like it!" Lotus said.

"~Such a sweet girl!~" Came the collective thought of the three adults.

"He may have denied it but…"

Just outside the door, Kumagoro assumed his standard tsundere position. Ear pressed against the wall as he listened in.

"~I really do want to try some! Oh, I hope I didn't hurt that poor girl's feelings. What if she gets sad, then if she's sad then that'll make Kusuo sad, and if Kusuo is sad I'll be sad. What if Kusuo gets mad at me for making his girlfriend sad?!~"

"None of that is going to happen."

"~I need to go back in there. Just go inside and ask for some food. Go. Go!~" Kumagoro attempted to egg himself on, but he still remained glued to the wall.

"Lotus, some tamagoyaki please!" Kuniharu asked.

"She's not your maid. Get your own."

Kumagoro's fingers dug in the wall, clawing away at the pin job with a heated fury. "~You louse! You're going to eat it all before I can even try it!~"

"Hey, Kurumi, what's that sticking out of your pocket?" Kumi asked her daughter.

"Oh, this?" Kurumi pulled out a slightly crumpled piece of paper. "It's a pamphlet I found. It was just sitting right outside the door."

"~They found it!~"

"How could they not?"

Kurumi passed the pamphlet over to her mother.

"Hmmm, oh, I remember this place! My, it's been ages since we've been here!"

"I have an idea, how about we got here for today?" Kurumi suggested.

"~Yes! Yes!~" Kumagoro cheered.

"Huh? But I thought you wanted to go to the hot springs?" Kuniharu questioned.

"~Shut up, you!~"

"Yes, but I think this could be just as fun. And I haven't been here since I was a little kid."

"Well, then I guess we can go. We can go to the hot spring anytime, right?" Kuniharu said.

"~Yaaay!~"

"We should get ready, we don't want to hit any big crowds now do we?" Kumi said.

"You're right Mom!"

"Thank you for the breakfast, Lotus," Kuniharu said, pushing away from the table.

"Clean up your mess, you're not a kid."

Kurumi helped Lotus clean up the dishes, the two working together making quick work. When the kitchen was empty, Kumagoro finally crept his way back inside.

"~It's all gone. No more-huh?~"

They're sitting on the counter was a covered plate of food. Remnants of this morning's breakfast, just enough for one person. Resetting by the plate was a small handwritten note.

"Enjoy." It read.

Kumagoro choked, feeling his heart about to burst. "~Such a sweet girl!~"

Kusuo glanced at his girlfriend who was giggling.

"Guess he found it."

"How are you so good at this?"

"What? Besting over tsundere? Well, I had plenty of practice." Lotus lightly elbowed Kusuo. "After all, the biggest tsundere is my boyfriend."

There was a slight chill in the air, not freezing but enough to warrant a jacket. Lotus dressed in a green long-sleeved shirt, and a darker green skirt with black tights. To finish off the outfit, she chose to pair it with a set of brown boots and a pink peacoat, accented with white buttons.

Once everyone was ready, they piled into the car or rather van. A seven-seater vehicle. Why a couple that raised only one child would have such a large vehicle, but it was best not to question it.

Kuniharu and Kurumi sat in the front, Kuniharu taking the wheel. The next row sat Kumi and Kumagoro, and in the last row was where Lotus and Kusuo sat.

"I had no idea there was an amusement park around these parts," Kuniharu said.

"I totally forgot that it existed," Kurumi said.

"We used to go there all the time when Kurumi was little," Kumi said.

"The hot spring would've been nice, but I guess it can be fun too," Kuniharu said.

Kumagoro scoffed, turning away, scowl pointed towards the window. "What a pain. Why do I have to waste my afternoon at an amusement park?"

"Come on honey, we're gonna have a good time."

"For goodness's sake, who even suggested this stupid idea."

"You did."

"Come to think of it, I wonder how that pamphlet got there," Kurumi said.

It was only known to Lotus and Kusuo that Kurumi had been the mastermind behind the whole thing. The man thought he was sly, smirking as he internally celebrated his victory.

"~He-he! A hot spring is no place for kids. We should go somewhere fun so my grandson will want to keep coming back. I can just see the big smile on his face.~"

"Seriously? How old do you think I am anyway?"

"~This will be great memories for him and his girlfriend, too. Who knows, they might come back to have with their own kids one day.~"

"What?!"

The van pulled up to what at first appeared to be your standard amusement park. A Ferris wheel with round pods that swayed with the wind, a wooden roller coaster, and the top of a carousel that peeks out from behind the park's gates. But as the vehicle pulled closer the amusement park turned from family-friendly to sketchy. Barbed wire lined the concrete walls, and a few stray crows loitered about.

"Is this it?" Kuniharu questions.

A sign cemented to the wall read, "Welcome to the end of the world amusement park."

"Uh…did I make a wrong turn somewhere."

"This is it."

"This is it."

"This is it."

"This is it?"

As the car parked Kurumi was the first to get out. She bounded through the park's entrance, the childlike wonder blooming in her brown eyes. The memories of her childhood spilled forth into the forefront of her mind.

Lotus stepped out of the van after Kusuo, cheeks burning. Right now she was grateful for the cold air. It cooled her flushed face and made a good excuse as to why she was red. Who knew Kumagoro was going to hop on the "Let's get Lotus and Kusuo hitched and have kids" bandwagon so fast.

Lotus had been right in declaring Kusuo as the biggest tsundere, he was barely phased by his grandfather's previous words. He took Lotus's hand, the two walking through the park just a few steps behind his parents. Lotus softly smiled, her blush calming to a soft pink.

She didn't know when or if Kusuo was going to be affectionate, he didn't strike her as a PDA kind of guy, but the fact that he held her hand without any prompting was perfect in her book.

"Wow! I haven't been here in so long!" Kurumi beamed.

"Is this palace even safe?" Kuniharu questioned.

"How should I know?"

It was a fair and valid question, Lotus was wondering the same thing.

"It's been more than 20 years." Kurumi led the charge giving the grand tour. "That rotten sign, the Ferris wheel that's always out of order, the rollercoaster boards that look so rusty that they're about to break. Nothing has changed a bit since I was last here."

"I wish they had."

"Childhood nostalgia is a powerful thing."

"Seriously, is this palace safe?" Kuniharu repeated with more concern.

One of the rollercoasters' carts sped by overhead. The passengers inside seemed fine and appeared to be having fun.

"The rollercoaster is running, and it seems like they're open for business." As Kuniharu gazed up at the ride, something hit him in the head. "Ow! What the?!"

He looked at the ground, searching for what had ever beamed him. Much to his horror, it was a metal screw, and it took that much logic to figure out where it had fallen from.

". . .Should we go home?"

"Good idea."

"Say, honey," Kuniharu turned to his wife doing his best to stay calm, "Maybe we should leave and go-"

"Here." Kumagoro appeared with Kumi on his arm. "I bought us all some free passes."

"Kusuo, Lotus, you two can ride whatever you want," Kumi said.

"Thank you! What should we ride first, Ku?" Kurumi asked her son.

"The car back home."

"I second that notion."

"We've gotta try the rollercoaster, right?" Kurumi said.

"No, we don't."

"No, not the rollercoaster," Kuniharu cut in.

Kurumi's smile didn't falter in the slightest, fueled by positivity and childhood memories. "Huh? Why not, honey? Are you afraid of it?"

"He is, but not the way you're thinking."

"There is nothing to be scared of, I rode it all the time as a kid. We came all the way! Let's go!"

"Your mother is truly fearless, Kusuo."

"Oh, well I guess all those people before survived, so I guess it'll be okay," Kuniharu reasoned.

The line was empty, not much of a surprise. But what was dumbfounding was when Kurumi held out a clipboard to the group.

"Here you go! Hurry up and sign this!"

"Sign what?" Kuniharu asked taking the clipboard.

"A release form silly. You always have to sign one before you ride a rollercoaster. Come on now, sign it, you too Ku!"

Kuniharu shared a similar look of horror with Lotus, and Kusuo didn't look all that much better.

"This is the kind of thing you sign to bungee jump in a foreign country."

"This going to be so much fun? Right, Lotus?"

Lotus gave the woman who sat next to her a shaking smile. "Y-Yeah."

She'd gotten on the ride with Kusuo and his parents. Kuniharu and his son are at the front, with Kurumi and Lotus right behind them.

"Oh, are you scared, dear?" Kurumi smiled, patting Lotus's hand. "Don't worry, I'm right here!"

"T-Thank you."

The safety announcement played overhead, crackling and breaking as it tried to play through the old system.

"Kusuo," Kuniharu turned to his son, a visage of seriousness uncommon for the man, "if anything happens, I don't want you to worry about me. Just look out for your mother and Lotus."

"Riding a rollercoaster shouldn't require this kind of resolve."

"Hold on tight."

The cart jerked forward, Lotus nearly biting her tongue, just barely choking back a fearful squeak. In front of her, Kusuo looked just as bored as ever, and with good reason.

"Since I'm a psychic this is all pretty boring to me. I don't have to simulate the experience of flying because I can actually fly."

Down below stood Kumi and Kumagoro, the older woman smiling as she waved at the group.

"That's something those two would never imagine in their wildest dreams. Hm? My grandmother's skirt is short for this weather. Oh, we're finally at the peak now, all that's left is the drop."

"Uh, Kusuo…."

Turning towards his father, the man stared back rather calmly considering the situation he was in. That being his safety bar was no longer doing its job.

"I think my safety bar went up."

The cart hovered at the brink of the edge for a moment before it took a nosedive down.

"Aaaaaahhhhhhh! It's upside-down!" Kuniharu screamed as if he was about to die, and honestly, if it wasn't for his son, that could've been a possibility.

Kuniharu staggered off the ride, dazed and quite traumatized.

"Sky is so beautiful." He was delirious as well.

"Was it really that scary?" Kurumi said.

"Hmph, he should try being a man for once," Kumagoro said.

"Now, now, dear, don't be so harsh!" Kumi scolded.

"~He took advantage of the fact that I can't ride roller coasters and swooped in to sit next to my precious grandson. That jerk. And on top of that, he clung to him the whole time just to rub it in my face!~"

Kumagoro was shaking, but it was not clear if it was from anger or jealousy.

"~I hate this! He makes me so jealous!~"

Perhaps it was a bit of both.

"How can you call yourself a man?!"

"Wait, how can you?"

"How about we try going on something that's not so intense?" Kurumi suggested.

That's when the sound of creaking and metal grinding echoed from behind the group. Lotus jumped as she turned around. Gaping the pink-haired girl saw the Ferris wheel moving. Not in the smooth fashion that she'd seen other ones move, this one jerked and shook, the pods swaying heavily.

Kurumi gasped happily, "What? Look! The Ferris wheel is actually moving! That's a first."

"I'm not impressed."

"And I am terrified."

"Let's all ride together. You'll be fine on that one, right honey?" Kurumi asked.

"Y-Yeah, I can manage."

Kuniharu did his best to keep a smile on his face, holding the happy appearance for his adoring wife, but in his head, utter turmoil swirled. He imagined one of the Ferris wheel pods just breaking in half allowing those inside to plummet to their utter doom. Next came the wheel going out of control and spinning a pod so fast that it snapped and broke away, once again sending those inside to meet a terrible fate.

The more the various terrifying scenarios played the man started to wither like a grape in the sun.

"Aaahhh! He's aging rapidly!" Kurumi exclaimed.

"He's traumatized."

Kurumi supported her shaky husband, the poor man about to collapse.

"I'm sorry about this, I'll take care of him. You can all go ride the Ferris wheel without me. Hang in there, honey!"

"Ahhh, is it supper time already?"

And then there were four.

"I hope that he's okay," Kumi said.

"He's pathetic," Kumagoro said.

"Well, I hope you three enjoy the ride."

"Huh? You're not coming?"

"I'm afraid of heights."

"Oh, then I can wait with you, Grandma Kumi," Lotus offered.

"Grandma?"

"She was persistent. Much like your mother."

"Really?" Kumi asked

"Yup. We can let the men bond, while us women chat," Lotus said.

"That sounds delightful. Kusuo I hope you don't mind me stealing your girlfriend for a bit," Kumi said.

She hooked her arm with Lotus, the two women smiling. Kumagoro gazed at the two with a mild shock, a sort of glazed look in his eyes.

"~Grandma! She called Kumi grandma! Does that mean…if I ask her, she'll call me Grandpa!~"

"Yeah, but we all know you're not gonna."

Lotus and Kumi waved at their special guys, watching Kusuo and Kumagoro board the Ferris wheel, entering a rusted yellow pod.

"So tell me Lotus, how did you and Kusuo meet?" Kumi asked.

"Well, funny enough my family actually moved in across the street from him. We also go to the same school."

"Ah!" Kumi gushed. "High school sweethearts, how lovely."

Lotus just chuckled, playing with her hair.

"And I've been meaning to tell you that your outfit is so cute."

"I could say the same thing. Very trendy."

"Oh, you're too kind!"

"Actually, my brother is the one who made it."

"Your brother?"

"Yeah," Lotus nodded, "He's a fashion designer and makes almost all my clothes."

"That sounds like so much fun!"

"If you ever come down to the suburbs for a visit I'm sure he'd be happy to make something for you too!"

"Oh, that sounds incredible!"

The two continued to converse, Kumi finding out more about the girl and getting a little information on her grandson as well.

"Well, I have to say you're such a nice girl. A great fit for Kusuo!"

"Oh well," Lotus blushed, "thank you."

"Mom! Lotus!"

Pausing, the two women turned and spotted Kurumi. She was sitting on a bench with her husband's head lying on her lap.

"What a loving and doting wife Mama Kurumi is."

She waved the two over, but before they could meet up a loud scream rang out. The amusement park was rather quiet so the screams of Kumagoro were quite apparent. The yellow pod he and Kusuo occupied was compromised, just barely hanging on by one of its sides. It swayed wildly as if it had been struck by an earthquake.

"That's the one Kusuo and Kumagoro are in!" Kumi exclaimed.

Kurumi gasped, hopping to her feet. "But what in the world is Ku doing that for?"

"Huh?"

Kusuo, who was indeed the cause of the chaos, didn't move from his seat within the pod. Kumagoro, however, was thrown about like a rock in a blender.

"~I don't understand! What is happening! Help! Someone save me!~"

"Now your true self is coming out. Maybe I should shake it some more and-"

"Kusuo!" Kumagoro dove forward, wrapping his arm around Kusuo in a protective embrace. "Just hold on to me! I'll keep you safe no matter what happens, okay!"

The shaking came to an abrupt end, and the women below calmed down. While not outwardly expressing it, Kumagoro's actions did strike a chord with Kusuo.

"Sorry. I might've gone too far. Anyway, I'm impressed he still had the composure to try and save me during such a scary situation."

Kumagoro was hunched over, huffing and out of breath, surely his heart rate had skyrocketed far too high for a man of his age.

"He is different from Dad." It was small, but Kusuo smiled. "Guess I should thank him."

At least that's what Kusuo had planned before he discovered that his grandfather had lost consciousness.

"The sky is so pretty."

"The sky is so blue."

Lotus wore an awkward smile watching the two oldest men of their group resting on a bench, clearing out of it, heads placed in the loving laps of their devoted wives.

"Huh? They're two of a kind after all."

"Oh, Ku, Lotus, why don't you two go and have some fun," Kurumi suggested.

"Yeah, we can take care of these two," Kumi said.

"How about the teacup ride?" Kurumi pointed towards a small plaza that had a set of cracked and broken teacups that spun in a lazy circle.

"Any tea in those cups would spill."

"And we're the tea in this situation, right?" Lotus blanched.

"Oh, I know! How about that one!" Kumi suggested.

They followed the woman's line of sight and saw her gesturing to a water ride. But just not any water ride, the tunnel of love.

The boats were weathered with chipping paint. A cherub was strung above the tunnel's entrance, just like the boats whose paint had been chipped away, its smile cracked. A crow had taken up residents atop the statue's head, occasionally poking away at its already damaged eye. Even from their vantage point, they could see the murky grimy water, which had a greenish-brown tint to it. It looked more like the tunnel of horror than love.

"Go have some fun, you two!" Kurumi said.

"But not too much fun!" Kumi giggled.

Kusuo looked at Lotus, and vice versa. When would this embarrassing trip come to an end?