Chapter 5: Dinner
He got home just before dinner. It was another long day at work and he was just glad to be home with his wife and children. He could hear laughter from the toy room and looked inside to see his youngest playing with what looked to be a blonde boy. He was wearing the high school uniform, so it confused him. He shrugged it off and walked past the study which had shelves full of books on the walls, a fireplace against one wall and a desk for each of his children, though they hardly used this room for homework, preferring to do their homework in the confines of their rooms. There were even a few couches to relax on. He looked inside to see his eldest sitting at the desk with a tall boy. They seemed to be studying, so he continued towards his office. The door was open, so he knew they couldn't possibly do anything improper.
He walked past his wife's open door of her home office. She had a few items she needed to look over sitting around the room, documents kept next to them. She looked to be hard at work. He continued and entered his own office and grabbed a handle of scotch and a crystal glass. He poured four fingers into the cup and topped the handle before sitting in the leather chair by his fireplace. The maid had lit the fireplace as he had requested so he took a moment to watch the flames flicker. It was warm and the smell of it relaxed him. He took a gulp of his drink and sighed, further relaxing. This was the life to him, still able to hear the dull sounds of his youngest daughter's laughter. It was not something he often heard in his home.
"Sir, dinner is ready," a man said from the doorway.
"I will be there in a moment." He could hear the faint steps of the man leaving. He swished the liquid in his glass for a minute before polishing it off and placing it in the sink of the mini bar in his office. He walked to the dining room to wait for the rest of his children. His youngest was already in her seat and his wife was in her own seat. Nana came storming in, still on her phone. She sounded like she was in a heated debate about one thing or another. She hung up just before she took her seat. Naosuke was the next to enter. He seemed to be looking over a bit of homework. He was starting to wonder what was taking his eldest so long.
"Ane wanted to walk Morinozuka-san and Haninozuka-san out to their ride," Nasaka said. He nodded and looked at his phone when it vibrated. It was about a meeting in the future about a deal he was trying to make with one person or another.
"Thank you again for tutoring me, Mori-senpai. I understand it a lot better now." She smiled up at her tall senior.
"Ah." He ruffled her hair.
"I will see you and Honey-senpai at school tomorrow." They shorter blonde smiled.
"It was fun playing with Nasaka-chan," Honey said with a smile. Usa-chan was in his hands.
"Are you sure you two can't stay for dinner? I feel bad just kicking you out like this."
"Father expects me home for dinner," Mori said.
"Yeah, so does my dad. Maybe next time." They climbed into the limo and she waved before heading back into the house. She walked into the dining room and took her seat. Her father signaled for dinner to start.
"You were in the study," he pointed out to Kagome.
"Hai, Mori-senpai was tutoring me in math." She looked to her father.
"Oh look, something you aren't good at," Nana said snidely.
"Everyone has something they aren't good at," Kagome said, seeing no insult in her words. She took a bite of the food in front of her. "Ah, father, I wanted to talk to you about something."
"After dinner," he said, and she nodded. She looked to Nasaka, who was slowly looking more tired than the minute before. She excused herself to put her to bed before she fell over in her seat. She lifted her little sister into her arms and carried her off.
"Naosuke," he called to his son. He looked at him.
"Hai, father?" What did he do now?
"You seem to be getting along better with Kagome."
"Hai." He didn't know what this was about. "She's helped me these last few days with school work. She has offered support and comfort. She is what a big sister should be." His father nodded.
"And you stepped up this morning with Nasaka."
"Kagome would have done it, if she wasn't busy cooking for us," he reasoned. "Nasaka is difficult with the maids."
"She is. It is her small way of rebelling." He looked at Nana. She was looking at her phone, waiting to be dismissed. "She wants affection, as all children do. I am glad that you do show her affection."
"She is sleeping now," Kagome said as she entered the room again. She made to sit again but stopped at her father's words.
"Nana, Naosuke, you are dismissed." They stood and walked from the room, Nana texting someone. Naosuke picked up the paper he had been looking over.
"Ane, can you help me with my history assignment when you are done?" She nodded, and he left.
He stood and had his daughter follow him to his study. He grabbed another four fingers of scotch and sat in his leather chair and she took the other one he took a sip before turning to her. "What did you want to talk about, musume?" He slowly swirled the glass.
"I wanted to know if I could make a few alterations around the house and my room." She was trying not to play with her hands.
"Alterations?" He looked at her. She was nervous.
"Well, I took to running around the perimeter of the back of the house. It is bumpy, and I was just wondering if I could have it paved so I don't get hurt."
"You run around the entire perimeter of the back?" She nodded. "Do you know how much running that is?"
"Just over three kilometers," she stated matter-of-factly. She didn't seem to think that it was a big deal.
"Yes." He leaned back into his chair. "Very well, I will look into it." He took another sip.
"Ano, I also wanted to change my room around. I know you must have spent a lot of money doing it, but…."
"It's your room, musume. Have the design drawn up and I will have it done."
"Thank you." She smiled, a little less nervous. "I also wanted to start a garden."
"A garden?" He was somewhat surprised.
"Yes. When I lived on the shrine with my mother, I grew tea, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. I kind of miss home sometimes, so maybe if I had a garden…."
"Alright." He nodded. He wanted her to be as comfortable as possible while she was here, so why not.
"Thank you!" She leapt up and hugged him. He was surprised so could only place his free hand on her back. She pulled back and blushed. "Good night, father." He nodded and watched her go. That was not a talk he thought he was going to have with her. It was better than the talk he had playing in his head. No way did he want to talk to her about her having a boyfriend. It was too soon for that.
She knocked on her brother's door and he looked up from his desk. She entered, and he handed her his assignment, which was answering questions from the text. She knew he just wanted to make sure he was not mistaken in his answers. She was glad to see he wasn't.
"Everything is right, ototo. Remember, don't second guess yourself. You make mistakes when you do." He nodded and placed his school work away. She got up to leave but his question stopped her.
"What did you talk to father about?" He was curious.
"About starting a garden and changing my room. It's nice, but not something I am comfortable with." He nodded. "I will probably only tell him what I need. I prefer doing things for myself." He nodded. He could tell from the lunches she packed for them. Admittedly, he thought her cooking was better than the gourmet lunch the school sold. He didn't think he could marry someone that couldn't cook.
"If you need help, let me know." She nodded and left him alone. He looked around his large room. He was sitting at his desk, which was closer to the door to his room. Further in was a seating area in front of a large television. He had a wall of movies and video games. There was a wall full of manga behind the couch. There was a closed door slightly further in. It was his personal bathroom and walk in closet. There was a set of stairs that led up to his large bed. He loved his room, so he wondered what his sister didn't like about her room, if it was anything like his room.
She looked around the room. It was nice and crispy, but it looked too much like a magazine photo. Her bed was too soft. The clothes were nice, but she couldn't see herself wearing them. She wasn't one to watch movies and television. She preferred reading and being active. She knew what she wanted to do with the room and made a list of things she wanted. She was going to have her father get rid of what was in her room. She changed and easily climbed into bed. She was going to be up early.
He placed in the order to have the perimeter paved first thing in the morning and told the head of staff about it. He ordered some equipment for a garden to be delivered the next day. He was just waiting for what she wanted to do with her room. He sighed. It was such a long day and tomorrow would probably be a long day as well.
Author's Note: 3 kilometers is just under two miles. The perimeter of the back of his house is two miles. Four fingers is a measurement for things like scotch and brandy meaning where four fingers would be from the bottom of the glass.