Like any other animal, a young deer leading the Horns conglomerate could be made nervous. Of course, it wasn't an easy task. And Louis himself was used to considering himself invincible… until one of those moments arrived, which he usually referred to as "inevitable awkwardness". After rehearsal on Thursday, he sat behind the wheel of the "kusari" in the parking lot, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. Fortunately, the car didn't mind such treatment at all.
Tonight was the agreed-upon evening. The evening of meeting Juno's parents. The evening of entering the wolf's den.
Perhaps it was an evening of recognition, certainly an evening of mixed feelings.
Louis had no idea how much information Juno's family had about him. He didn't know if she ever talked about her boyfriend at all, or preferred to keep them in the dark and confront them with the fact at the last moment, but that wasn't what bothered him. Ironically enough, even in the company of carnivores, a deer would feel quite comfortable. And he liked wolves, especially one particular female. Perhaps… what bothered him was the possibility that her parents might not approve of their union.
Once again, father, you're standing over my shoulder. It's you whose approval I've tried to earn.
With a wave of his hand, Louis dispelled the ghost and began to watch the gates. The guard in a dark blue uniform stood there unwaveringly, scrutinizing the passes of those entering, but he let Juno in, fluttering through the gates in her school uniform, without questions.
"Hey," he simply said when the girl reached the car. Juno hopped inside, gathering her white skirt, and touched his lips, then said cheerfully:
"As if we haven't seen each other a quarter of an hour ago."
"Shall we go?"
"Why so laconic all of a sudden? Nervous?"
"No, why would I be?" he shrugged, pulling onto the road. A gentle hand rested on his shoulder, just like the touch of her lips a minute ago:
"Relax. They're nice, honestly. And they know you're a deer. No surprises."
Louis smiled. She seemed to read his mind. He uttered:
"That takes off some of the pressure. The main thing is that they like what kind of deer I am. What did you tell them?"
"That you're the best deer in the world," the she-wolf said tenderly.
"I'm afraid that might not be enough for your parents."
"Then think of it as a meeting with business partners…"
The deer put on a deliberately worried expression:
"Oh no, anything but that. They're better off not seeing my business side. It's bad enough we had to move lunch to dinner; I think worse at this time."
Juno soothingly said:
"I didn't notice any difference. And we'd have to wait for the weekend, but you have plans again…"
"I don't have weekends," he grimaced. "Honestly – I'd prefer not to meet your parents and just spend the evening with you instead."
"Oh no. You'll like them. And they'll like you."
"Fine. Can I borrow some confidence from you? Is that okay?"
"Of course," Juno nodded and pecked his cheek. The deer just smiled.
After that, they mostly fell silent or exchanged short, meaningless phrases. Finally, Louis turned on the radio. Very quietly, to create background noise. So, to the sounds of timeless pop music, they arrived at Juno's house. A medium-sized building with cladding of dark beige stone and columns on the corners made of white brick. The same brick columns marked the porch and the entrance to the garage.
"Lovely," Louis evaluated, glancing out the window. "So far, it's giving off all the right vibes."
She promised playfully, "The best is yet to come."
"Did you deliberately put on your school uniform to appear like a diligent girl?"
"Yup. Think mom and dad will buy it?"
"Parents often see further or deeper than we do. At least that's what I've heard," Louis shrugged, set the "kusari" on the alarm, and tucked the keys into his pocket, waiting for the car to acknowledge him with a wink. Juno chuckled, "Then all this disguise is in vain. Well, let's go check the insightfulness of mine…"
The deer ceremoniously offered her his hand, and she immediately intertwined her fingers with his, and the couple headed towards the door. Louis, by the way, was dressed modestly as well – just a warm yellow polo shirt and dark green trousers. Of course, he could have found a school uniform somewhere, but why start the introduction with a lie?
Swallowing, he immediately received a hot whisper in his ear, "Relax. Everything will be fine."
Tugging at his ear, she slowly and deeply inhaled and exhaled. And he raised his hand to ring the bell, which immediately produced a melodious chime. And literally five seconds later, the door swung open, revealing to the deer's eyes an exact copy of Juno. Just a little older and dressed slightly more old-fashioned, but… damn it, it seemed like the daughter had inherited her mother's figure.
"Elizabeth, isn't it? Good evening." Louis respectfully inclined his head.
"Hi, Mom."
The elder she-wolf was clearly surprised. According to Juno, she knew who he was… but did she really know who was he? Perhaps she had seen him on television a few times, although the deer honestly tried to minimize the airtime with his own person. And the daughter clearly missed this little detail in her story.
"Yes. And you must be Louis?" she asked with a deep, pleasant voice.
"In the flesh. Interestingly… when I admired Juno's appearance, I didn't realize I was giving compliments to you as well."
"Yes… we're very alike," Elizabeth said embarrassedly, looking back.
Then she pointed inside, "Please come in. Juno…" followed by a long sigh, "we'll talk later."
"Mom, I can explain everything."
"I have no doubt about that. And now, march inside," the mother smiled, baring her fangs.
Inside, everything was furnished in a continental manner – a spacious living room with a sofa and a coffee table in the center, opposite a modern television with a large screen, an irregularly shaped glass LED chandelier, no visible bookshelves or discs, but a whole bunch of flowers, rocks and pots nestled in the corner, something like an alpine slide made of decorative stones. From the living room, a door led to the kitchen, where a wolf was already sitting dignifiedly – in a shirt and tie, somewhat remotely resembling Legoshi, but with far fewer scars. In fact, just one, small, right on the nose. And glasses for vision, quite substantial diopters – his eyes seemed larger than they actually were.
However, upon seeing the guest, he maintained his composure. Louis mentally gave him a plus.
"Kimura."
"Louis. Very pleased to meet you."
"Likewise," the wolf cleared his throat and nodded to the chair opposite, "Have a seat, please."
"I think I'll wash my hands first," the deer objected. Juno, who had rushed out of the bathroom like a fluffy whirlwind, whispered to him, "Go ahead. And sit at the table."
Louis's nostrils caught quite pleasant scents. Perhaps it was because he had only had a cup of coffee for breakfast, but the food did look appealing, at least from a distance.
Returning, he calmly sat down next to Juno and glanced at the plates. The head of the family spoke up, "First of all, Louis, I would like to assure you that there's nothing threatening you in my house. If you suddenly feel fear or the slightest hostility from our side – we're not a threat to you, those are just random feelings."
"Thank you, Kimura-san. But… you know, my instincts have long ceased to bother me when it comes to close interaction with carnivores."
"That's wonderful," Elizabeth said fondly. Kimura glanced at her sideways, and the she-wolf hid her smile, becoming serious. He asked, "By the way, speaking of close relationships with carnivores… how serious are things between you and my daughter?"
"Dad…" Juno muttered discontentedly, but one look from her father and the girl fell silent, only swaying her tail helplessly. However, the guest stood firm. Looking him in the eye, the deer calmly said, "I love her. And she's mentioned several times that the feelings are mutual, so I think we can say 'we love each other'."
"Yes!" Louis felt a squeeze on his side. The elder wolf raised an eyebrow in surprise, then nodded, "Okay. What, uh, do you do for a living?"
Elizabeth sighed heavily, shook her head in a negative gesture, and asked, "Kim, can you stop putting on an act?"
"It seemed to me that your dear spouse recognized me."
"Ma, be careful, he has a thing for wolves."
Louis smiled, "Yes, one might think so."
Kimura, on the other hand, became stern, "Yes, I know who you are. I just… wanted to hear it personally from you."
"I'm the majority shareholder of Horns and the director of the school theater," the deer bowed slightly dramatically. After nibbling his lower lip with a fang, Elizabeth suddenly asked, "Juno, you're… this isn't related to…"
"If you say 'money' now, Elizabeth-san, I'll be even more offended than Juno," Louis said a bit coolerly, looking at her. She shrugged, "Sorry."
And at the same time, Juno slapped his hand, "Louis!"
"And forgive me too. And you," the deer looked affectionately at her. Unable to resist, she touched his lips, to which he responded softly and even gracefully. The fact that this was done in front of her parents… well, nobody's perfect.
"No problem," Kimura spoke again, pointing to the food, "Don't be shy. If something is unfamiliar to you, feel free to ask – I'm afraid I've been around quite a bit before settling down, and I brought some dishes with me."
"I was just about to ask. What's this? It looks like daikon in oil, but…"
"It's sweet potato. Sweet potato from Hindostan, I got attached to it when I worked there as a dispatcher," the father answered, barely smiling.
Louis said thoughtfully, "Juno mentioned that you're currently working… as the chief accountant, Kimura-san? And Elizabeth-san, it seems, is a logistician, both in the same company?"
"Yes."
Just "yes"?
Making an indefinite nod, Louis inquired, "Which one?"
"Sibu Ltd," the wolf sighed, briefly lowering his eyes. The deer, having already tasted the hints of Indian potato and finding them quite pleasant, stopped chewing.
There it was, what had been bothering them both. "Sibu Limited" was engaged in freight transportation – mostly perishable goods requiring low-temperature storage and valuable cargo. Thanks to this, the company was bought out by Horns five years ago and merged into the conglomerate. They – through several managerial links – worked for him.
"Ah, I see," Louis chuckled and shrugged, "That doesn't change anything. In your house, I'm not a big shot, but an applicant seeking parental approval. For, let's say, not the most conventional union. You don't mind that I'm herbivorous?"
"Absolutely not!" Elizabeth energetically nodded, picking up a small piece of omelet onto her plate. Juno playfully nudged him, "And you don't mind that I'm carnivorous?"
Looking at her, Louis smiled, "You know, when we first met, it amused me more. Not because you're carnivorous, but your energy combined with recklessness."
"That's from her mother," the elder she-wolf said with a laugh, wagging her tail.
They were all so delightful. For the first time in the last half hour, Louis felt himself starting to relax, while Juno plaintively asked, "But mo-o-om… what's wrong with 'Sibu Limited'? Louis, are they your competitors?"
He sighed, "Juno, 'Sibu' – that's us. Among a couple dozen other companies, just within the conglomerate. I'm not even mentioning the constant subcontractors and sub-subcontractors."
The girl covered her mouth with her hand, "Oops…"
"Yes, you've brought the most ferocious boss into the house of your parents. But, I hope," and the deer bowed again to both, "that they understand one simple thing. This ferocious boss is also just an ordinary animal. With his weaknesses and hobbies."
"Well… since we've started talking about hobbies… what are you passionate about, Louis?"
"Besides this lovely girl next to me? Juno, did you tell them about the drama club?"
"Last year only some scary things," Elizabeth shuddered, "like someone being killed or something."
Juno nodded, "Yeah… poor Tem. And then the club got closed. But Louis and Legoshi reopened it! And we're staging 'Pygmalion'!"
"I'm afraid we're not very knowledgeable about theatrical life," Kimura shrugged. "Don't you want wine, Louis?"
"Thank you, Kimura-san, not at the moment."
Louis leisurely picked up a few asparagus spears with chopsticks and began to chew. Excellent. The natural crisp taste only accentuated the stir-fry with a small amount of oil and almost no added salt. Nearby, Juno served herself rice with the same asparagus and started eating.
"I must give credit to your skill, Elizabeth-san."
"I'm afraid I didn't have much control over the outcome," Juno's mother looked at him slyly, glancing at Juno herself. "But if you're talking about the asparagus, then thank you."
He snorted, tilting his head and hiding his smile. Juno protested, "Come on, mom!"
"What? You weren't the easiest to raise. This is also a warning for Louis…"
"And what about 'Pygmalion'?" Kimura asked. "In my youth, we mostly staged simple things like 'Romeo and Juliet' or 'The Servant of Two Masters'. But coming into the spotlight is always hard, irrelevantly to the play's level."
Louis shrugged, "It just happened that way. We had two prodigies who were involved in the old theater club, and I wanted to maximize their potential interaction. Although I didn't see Pina's performance myself, but animals unanimously claimed it was very good."
"And the second prodigy?"
"The second prodigy is munching on rice," Louis pointed to the left with a smile. "Honestly, Juno is very talented. Besides, if she didn't mention it, Juno is the president of the drama club and helps with the dance team."
"However, it was you who taught me to dance!"
"Since then, you've made a lot of progress…"
Kimura furrowed his brow, "I see. And their… interaction doesn't bother you?"
"Dad, 'Pygmalion' is not a love story!"
"And if Juno suddenly wants to become a film actress and has to play romantic scenes, how would you feel about that?"
Louis became serious. The very thought raised certain dark notes in his soul. Sighing, he answered honestly, "I think we can come to an agreement. I won't pressure her or threaten her in any way, but in principle, I wouldn't want to find myself in such a situation. But still, I think I'd go to great lengths for Juno."
"Great lengths?" the wolf looked at him inquisitively, momentarily putting his chopsticks aside. Louis shrugged, "I don't know how to explain… we already have a gold standard. My best friend…"
"Wouf," Juno interjected with her mouth full.
"Yes, the wolf, saved his girlfriend from the hands of a local gang a year ago. I doubt I could reach that height," Louis smiled skeptically. "However, providing her with a worthy level of warmth, love, and care – yes, that's within my capabilities."
Juno shook her head, "Stop interrogating him, dad. Louis isn't a robot or a money-making machine, he's kind… well, not exactly naive and forgiving, but sometimes…"
"…sometimes I see through and realize that behind your eyes, the entire Universe hides," Louis said quietly but fervently.
Contrary to Juno's words, in a sense, he was a robot. Growing up with such a parent, with such life experience, it would be difficult not to become calculating and pragmatic. But a little sincerity and what he truly felt in his heart helped him momentarily shed the armor with which the deer had closed himself off from the world. Just like Juno, her family was allowed to see the fire burning inside him for a moment.
Elizabeth's eyes strangely welled up with tears, she blinked a few times and silently shook her head. Kimura cleared his throat and said, "This… answers all my questions in a way."
"That's what I feel. And I would like to get to know you better, if you'll allow it. In the future," Louis replied softly, continuing his dinner. Elizabeth chuckled, "Kim sings terribly when he thinks no one can hear him."
"Mom!"
"Darling, getting to know each other better doesn't mean 'dumping all the embarrassing family details on the guest'," the elder wolf chuckled awkwardly. "Otherwise, I could remember a few things myself…"
"Recently, my friends disguised me as a spotted deer and dragged me to B-Strike. First time in my life. I didn't even know what deer do there," the embarrassed deer shared.
"A clumsiness championship? Ha," Juno cheerfully chimed in. "They'll probably tell you at the second or third family dinner, but when I was little, about three or four, we lived in a different house with a small garden. And I really wanted to learn how to fly…"
"…by waving your hands quickly?" Louis interjected with a laugh.
The wolfess nodded, "Yeah! I jumped off the garage roof and landed in a small bush of sea buckthorn, stabbed my butt, legs, scratched my arms and face…"
"Ouch. Must have been painful," Louis sympathized.
"Since then, I've been very careful about where I leave the ladder. Thank Rex, Juno didn't break or seriously hurt anything. She was four," Kimura commented ruefully, leaning back in his chair. Louis noticed his hand. The claws were trimmed beyond the maximum limit, even Legoshi could sometimes let them grow, but this neat carnivore clearly didn't allow such liberties.
"Kim? What's with the looks?"
"Your turn, dear," the wolf informed her teasingly.
"Some very strange method…"
"You revealed Dad's secret yourself!"
"Alright, alright, I give up," Elizabeth chuckled, raising her eyebrows in slight surprise. "Once upon a time… you know Tokyo Dome baseball stadium?"
"I've never been interested in baseball, but I've seen it in the news."
"Back then, I was a huge Giants fan, and we, the girls from the dorm, had a few drinks and decided to distract their opponents a bit… in a somewhat idiotic way. Anyway, if someday Swallows players remember in an interview that four young females flashed them from the stands, literally from two meters away as they were entering the field – that was us."
Juno choked on her food, her father just shook his head skeptically – it seems he knew this story. Louis paid more attention to his passion until he was sure nothing serious had happened and she could breathe normally. Another indignant exclamation rose from the table:
"Mom! Admit it, you and dad bet on how many times you'd dunk me in paint in one evening?!"
"No. Just so Louis knows – we're also just ordinary animals," Elizabeth nodded.
"I'm glad you found the courage to come. Moreover, if Juno had mentioned 'Sibu' earlier, I'm not sure I would have wanted to put you in an awkward position," the deer nodded.
"A noble wish, but…" Kimura smirked, pausing, "we're doing just fine on our own for now."
"Louis-san…"
"Just Louis," he corrected Elizabeth. "I'm younger and came to my girlfriend's parents. If you'll allow…"
He slipped away from the table for a moment, catching the whispers "where's he going" and the response "I don't know, probably to the bathroom," then Elizabeth's uncertain voice:
"Does he know where…"
Clicking the entrance door, the deer held it open for a moment and then closed it, returning back. Three pairs of surprised eyes stared at him, Louis just respectfully nodded his head:
"I wasn't sure I left my statuses at the door along with my shoes. With your permission, I'd like to continue doing so in the future. Let's start over. My name is Louis, I'm a twenty years old red deer, and I love your daughter."
Extending his hand to the elder wolf, he saw how the carnivore struggled to maintain a serious expression. Finally, Kimura couldn't hold it anymore and burst into laughter, showing all his teeth and slightly tilting his head. Then he took off and wiped his glasses before lightly shaking the extended hand. The wolf said, still laughing:
"That's how you get them…"
"No," the deer shook his antlers in a negative gesture. "Negotiations usually require firmness, you won't surprise anyone with smiles there. I… I'm just trying to be sincere."
"And not without dramatic gestures, huh?" Juno either praised or reproached him.
Anyway, she wagged her tail. Louis covered one eye, tilted his head, and asked:
"Perhaps life sometimes lacks performance?"
"Maybe…"
"Louis, you… you eat so little. Maybe some extras?" the older wolfess asked disappointedly. He sighed:
"Well, maybe there's a tiny corner in my stomach for dessert."
Elizabeth brightened up:
"I'll be right back!"
And she disappeared into the kitchen.
Juno gently stroked the deer's knee, as if thanking him for slightly lowering the tension. Taking her hand, he gently began to stroke her palm with his fingers, causing the girl to squint, press her ears, and wag her tail again with a blissful smile.
"Ahem," came from the head of the family. Juno startledly pulled her hand away, almost overturning the table, but everything turned out okay. Kimura snorted, then slowly said:
"Best friend – a wolf, huh?"
"Until this spring, I would have said 'the only friend.' But now I don't even know. There are others."
"Not easy to get along with animals?"
"I have a complicated biography, Kimura-san. Starting from being adopted, to having to pretend to be the perfect animal for a long time in school when I was a candidate for Beastars. And my father… he treated me quite dryly," Louis slightly tilted his head. Elizabeth entered, holding three plates at once – she skillfully held two with her fingers of one hand. She placed them on the table:
"Here you go. Fruit salad with cream, tiramisu, and sweet mochi with jam."
"Uh… I'll only be able to try a little of everything."
"No worries. We have a wolfish appetite," Elizabeth winked and sat back down at the table.
"How about some tea?" Kimura suggested. Seeing his wife about to jump up from the table again, he made a calming gesture with his hand:
"Stay, Lisa. I'll do it myself."
"Wanna have some tea?" the girl gently nudged the deer, who seemed to loose the connection to this world for a moment.
"Me? Oh… yes, of course. Black, no sugar, if possible."
"Lost in thought?"
"Trying to clear my head of troubles. External troubles," he hastily added, noticing his mother's wary gaze. "They don't belong here, just like statuses."
"Let's try to switch your smart head," she patted him between his antlers like a dog and grinned. "Mom, do you know the name of the heroine of the play I'm in?"
"No, what is it?"
"Eliza. In the author's version, she's not a wolf but a sheep, but we tweaked it a bit." The elder version of Juno silently smiled and nodded.
"I think we'll have success," Louis softly smiled, again stroking her hand under the table. "Juno is magnificent, but the others are trying hard too."
"How did you get the idea to become a director?"
"I've always liked the theater. I played Adler in a play of the same name about a year and a half ago, until a series of tragic events unfolded. Which led to the club closing."
"Carnivores… Frankly speaking, I have no idea what meat tastes like," Elizabeth shook her head disapprovingly. "What happened at the school club… to be honest, even though Juno's life was not in danger, we thought about taking her out of Cherryton High. Maybe even moving to another city, one that's less crime-ridden."
Melancholically chewing on a slice of mandarin, Louis looked away. He knew what meat tasted like; he personally worsened the crime situation in the city for some time. Though at the same time, he tried to limit Shishigumi's activities with the so-called "acceptable evil."
And, most unpleasantly, Juno now knew about it too. Silently pretending to enjoy dessert, the daughter noticeably stiffened. Of course, she didn't judge Louis, but now she had secrets from her own mother.
"While Kim makes tea for the fifth time," Elizabeth suddenly whispered, leaning slightly towards the couple, "are you two okay? I mean, not in terms of feelings, but…"
"Yes, Mom," Juno expressively said, raising her eyebrows. Louis nodded just in case. The woman didn't react to her daughter's tone and, leaning back in her chair, asked:
"But you understand that you can't have children?"
Louis objected:
"To be more precise, we can't count on it. Cases of hybrids are much more common than they're talked about. But… yes, we won't be able to plan a child."
"Let's not talk about children for now," Juno grumbled under her breath.
"Don't want to?"
"Not for now. Maybe later…"
"I'm not insisting," said Louis and gently kissed her cheek.
"Ah, here's the tea!"
Unlike his wife, Kimura did take advantage of the tray. The tea was decent — not of the highest quality, but a well-brewed drink. Sitting down, the wolf asked:
"Talking about kids? The chances are minimal. Don't take it to heart, Louis…"
"I know," he waved his hand. "But for now… let Juno graduate in peace… maybe go to college or university…"
"She still hasn't decided where to apply," her mother said with a slight reproach. Juno retorted:
"And I won't be able to decide if I'm constantly being pushed! Maybe I'll just start looking for a job right away."
"Don't rush," Kimura soothingly said, adjusting his glasses. "That's not a decision to be made hastily."
The wolfess spoke even softer:
"Like children… Mom, Dad, even if Louis were a purebred wolf… I'm not ready to give birth yet. And probably won't be for the next couple of years either."
"Shh… no one's forcing you," Louis embraced her. Elizabeth apologized guiltily, saying, "Sorry for bringing up this topic."
Silently nodding, Juno took her cup with both hands.
"About marriage, I suppose it's better not to ask either?" her father tilted his head.
The deer frowned, asking, "Why?"
"Well… I don't know, Juno is still in high school. And if you… I mean, if you appear in public with a carnivorous girl, won't the Horns' stocks be affected?"
"I'll find a way to repay the debt to anyone who publicly insults my girlfriend. And my future wife. As soon as she's okay with marriage, of course," Louis emphasized coldly. Then, he added with a bit more calmness, "Secondly, if the conglomerate's marketers and PR specialists can't find a way to turn such news to Horns' advantage, then they're getting paid for nothing. And thirdly… honestly, I don't care."
Kimura skeptically inquired, "You don't care what society thinks?"
"Society needs to grow out of its short pants. If it doesn't like it when two beings of different species… or two beings of the same gender, for that matter, love each other – society can go and bite itself! And if some clever journalist starts writing articles about 'wolf prey' and similar nonsense, I'll launch a campaign against him personally in other newspapers until he loses his job. At the very least."
The wolf silently looked at him. Then, after a pause, he said, "We've already seen Louis the simple guy. And this, I suppose, is Louis the businessman."
The deer closed his eyes. He said with a sigh, "Maybe I'm overdoing it and sometimes being overly cautious. But I want to protect everyone dear to me. Probably, including you."
"We don't need protection."
"Maybe. But there's another side to these relationships. Once the press sniffs around… they'll start hounding both of you too."
"I don't think we're afraid of a couple of journalists," Elizabeth smirked, crossing her fingers with painted claws under her chin. Reflecting the accurate picture of what Juno would be like in twenty years, she also liked Louis. Both as a person and in appearance.
"That's good to hear."
"Juno… what do you like about Louis?" her mother asked.
"Uh… um?" Juno rounded her eyes, chewing on the sweet rice dumplings and struggling to swallow. "Well, aside from his appearance… he's very intelligent, elegant in manners, knows how to present himself but not arrogant, caring, loving, fair, responsible, doesn't do stupid things…"
"Stop, stop. Not doing stupid things? Me? Are you sure all of that was about me?" he laughed.
"He…" Juno turned her head and looked into his eyes. "You're full of inner fire. You're neither herbivore nor carnivore; you're something new, more perfect."
Louis shook his head, "What irony to hear this from the beautiful wolfess who almost single-handedly carried the whole club for a month and a half. You're the catalyst for my fire."
"See. I told you he's smart," Juno triumphantly turned her head towards her parents. Then she quickly pecked him on the lips and sat up straight, folding her hands on her knees. The only thing left was exchanging glances and sheepishly smiling. The girl mockingly, ironically remarked, "You brought up the topic yourselves."
"Well, I didn't expect such a lively discussion," Elizabeth admitted. "But… Louis certainly knows how to handle words."
"I wonder what he was like on stage," the wolf said thoughtfully, looking straight at the guest. Juno grinned,
"Well, now you'll find out! I think we'll premiere right after graduation, and we've decided that the author's words at the end will be read by him himself…"
"By Bearnard Shaw?.." the deer scoffed.
"You! And don't deny it… so this is Louis' debut as a director and at the same time something like a farewell role of a departing genius."
"Psh, too much," he waved his hand in the air, indicating that the praise was overflowing. "Just an ordinary peg-legged deer."
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow,
"Peg-legged?"
"Yes, I'm on a prosthetic. Lost my leg in a very strange incident."
"If it's not a secret, how strange was it?"
"Well… it was bitten off," the deer shrugged, seeing the grimaces on Juno's parents' faces. Then a slow and terrible realization dawned on Kimura's face. He raised a finger, then pointed it at Juno,
"Wait… you…"
"And you too," the deer said, not so tactfully, then smiled conciliatorily. "Juno has nothing to do with this incident. And, to mention, being aligned with your nature isn't what animal would do nowadays. It's dangerous. Happy to inform you that this is a thing of the past for both Juno and me. Her mind is much stronger than her nature."
"And with my mind and heart, I want to be with Louis," she nodded.
"…and it would be great if you — even if you don't exactly approve right away — would still take our relationship with an open mind," Louis concluded. "And, well, not foster the atmosphere?"
Then, obeying a sudden impulse, he dipped his finger into the cream and smeared Juno's nose with a stone-cold look.
She looked at her nose in outrage, her mother couldn't hold back and chuckled, and the deer immediately got a full nose of cream, generously scooped up by the girl's hand from the nearly empty glass bowl. Helplessly coughing, he noticed Kimura's expression of wild bewilderment as he first shrugged, then looked at his daughter, then at his wife. Unable to withstand the slowly encroaching madness into the house, Elizabeth herself scooped up some cream onto her finger. Louis couldn't help but laugh. The wolf jumped up,
"No! Liz, what are you doing? What will he think of us?!"
"What we should've done from the very beginning before starting these dances around disapproval!" the she-wolf said in a mockingly threatening tone, advancing on her husband. He agilely circled around the table, Liz chased after him, calling him strange epithets that were surely accepted in the family, like "bum from a beet," and both step animals disappeared into the depths of the house. Juno wiped tears from laughter, Louis also chuckled, unable to erase this exemplary scene from a silly comedy show from his memory now. Feeling a sudden tug on his polo collar, he stared into the tear-filled eyes of the she-wolf, who grinned:
"You… you… Almighty Rex, how do you do it, this terrific insanity?"
"To start with, I take a finger, dip it in cream…"
She silenced him with a kiss. Long, passionate, and lingering, while the elder wolves were absent, Juno put all her turbulent energy, all the happiness that tickled her soul, into one kiss. And when Louis pulled away, he looked much less belonging to this world than he did a few seconds ago.
After the wolf couple returned and apologized very ceremoniously for their behavior, the conversation became much easier. Eventually, they moved to the living room, onto the couch in front of the TV playing at minimal volume, where Kimura recounted how he met Elizabeth, then a student at a prestigious college, and she, in turn, recalled a couple of amusing stories from their dates. Juno and Louis treaded more cautiously around the topic of their dates, considering that all of their outings were rather mysterious or related to secretive matters, but they shared amusing anecdotes from the club's life.
When darkness and streetlights finally took over the space outside the windows, Louis checked the time. Ten fifteen. Just about the right time to take his leave.
Noticing his gesture, Elizabeth insisted, "There's no need to rush off! If you want, we can set up beds for both of you upstairs."
Juno and Louis exchanged glances. Then Louis, with a hint of sadness in his voice, said, "I have an early morning interview with some silly publication in Kyoto tomorrow. I'd love to stay, but I can't. I'm sorry, Elizabeth-san."
Kimura placed a hand on his shoulder, "Either way, kid… we'll always be glad to see you here. Even if Juno is off studying and you happen to drive by — drop in."
"Thank you, Kimura-san. I don't think Juno could have better parents than you."
"Thank you. Honestly, I wasn't thrilled when Juno brought this news on her tail. Especially a teacher… but you're young and tough enough for this world," the wolf smirked. "Way tougher than I was at your age. And it's not bad that you're not a wolf. After a few family dinners, you'll start growing gray fur."
"Yeah, grow fangs and shed antlers," Juno said teasingly. "Dad, he's already great. Maybe too great for me."
"Don't start," Louis kissed her.
As they bid farewell, Elizabeth hugged him energetically. She whispered, "Kim might say it's too early… but you can call me Mom. If you want."
He opened his mouth in astonishment, but Liz had already freed herself and was waving her hand at him endearingly. Louis bowed low, expressively:
"Thank you for the dinner. And for the atmosphere. And especially — for such a daughter."
"I'll see Louis off to his car and be back. No peeking!" Juno playfully threw in and fluttered out after him. Immediately behind the door, she sobered up and placed her hand on the shoulder of the deer, who was staring into space:
"Everything… alright? I heard Mom say…"
"You know, it's kind of nice," the deer chuckled bitterly. "I just realized that I've never said that word in my life."
"Come here," the she-wolf pressed herself to him in tight embrace, then whispered in his ear, "Do you want to call me mommy too?"
The deer's body twitched from a sudden burst of laughter, then he said, stroking her back and pulling away:
"No, thank you. I'm not a fan of that, Juno."
"Why did you refuse to stay overnight? I'm sure you have some crap to handle tomorrow, but definitely not in Kyoto."
Instead of answering, he tilted his head — literally a couple of millimeters — and looked her in the eyes, hiding a smirk. Juno first looked at him with confusion, then barely bit her lip and lowered her head:
"Oh… right."
"It's still very difficult for me to calmly be next to you in bed. Or even in the next room. Especially after what happened…"
Juno chuckled and nodded towards the car, like, let's go. Interpreting her gesture right, the deer headed towards the small car, meekly awaiting its owner. Then, before the door, he suddenly turned to the girl and raised his fingers to her cheeks, stroking them and her neck, simultaneously holding his breath for a kiss as long as they could endure. When they pulled away, Juno's body was slightly trembling, and her breathing quickened. She licked her lips:
"Maybe we should throw all the rules of decency to hell?"
"We don't respect them too much anyway," Louis returned her desired tone. "Let's make an exception tonight. And besides… who knows, maybe your parents will kick me out… No, wait, that's not it, I've got a high school love story here."
He said in a nasal tone:
"Then your geezahs will kick me outta here, like, forevah!"
Juno laughed, then tenderly said, "You would have been the most disgusting teenager in a teen comedy."
"Thanks, I tried my best," he nodded with dignity. And affectionately, softly said, "Goodnight, sweetheart."
"To you too. Love you," she replied quietly.