Disclaimer: it's a not for profit fic.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I see that many are interested in how the conversation between Soma and Hisako's father went, as such, I will be writing an "in between the lines" chapter about their conversation!
It's feedback like that that keeps me engaged too, so feel free to drop a few words and requests to keep the ball rolling!
Hope you enjoy this chapter too!
I fiddled the ends of the bandana on my wrist, taking a break from fruitlessly pacing alone in the private sitting room. It is tastefully furnished but I could barely appreciate it. My sight fell to the small trail I left in the plush carpeting.
Anything to keep my mind occupied with something other than worry.
Despite best efforts, my thoughts still gravitated to Mother's words that left me vexed and in deep thought, considering the repercussions of what I'm told:
That Yukihira Soma would have to take our family name.
Soma is a single child. And as far as I know, he does not have any cousins either. Which is not really odd considering that Japanese families these days would have one child, if any children at all.
Oh, that was not all of it: Not only will Soma have to take the Arato name,
"... And so will your children.'' It is a matter that is not up for debate.
The Arato name has to be preserved.
While the Yukihira family name...
This situation does illustrate one importance of having more than one child from the angle of Family Legacy... In hindsight, Moriyama was right:
Declining birth rates are a problem.
I have a feeling that the concern for him will naturally be his family restaurant that holds that name; his pride and joy.
The door knob turned, grabbing my attention. Soma entered with a troubled look. A thousand thoughts of different scenarios and questions that may have made him this way.
"Soma…" I started, but my next words were caught in my throat. I sensed that he was collecting his thoughts, so I decided it was better that he took the initiative.
"Hey, Hisako." the red head replied, lacking his usual perk, yet still putting on a brave front for my reassurance.
But I know better.
"How was the talk?" I patted the spot next to me, inviting him to speak his mind.
"That was… a surprise."
"What is?"
"Quite a lot of things…" Soma offered a weak smile. "Like, I was not aware of how wealthy an ojou-sama you were."
His words made me shift uncomfortably, conscious that I had kept information from him. "I just found out recently and made a promise not to talk about it."
"I understand," Our hands met, "in a way, I also understand what your father is concerned about."
"How so?"
"As you can imagine, he asked questions similar to your mom, just with more details. I guess he really put a great deal into my past, and future plans… clearly he really wants the best for you." He gave a light playful smirk, a reference to our conversation during yesterday's date.
I offered a supportive smile, "what can I say? I have a good eye for quality."
We shared a chuckle.
"Your father and I walked through the estate before visiting the greenhouse." Soma went on about the estate as if it was Disneyland while I listened with interest. He loved the variety in the greenhouse and was inspired by the fresh ingredients he could use.
Then, the conversation switched track as he considered his next words. "Today was the first time I saw 1 billion yen, in person."
"...what?"
"Yeh, they were bricks of 10,000 yen notes, stacked up like a six storied pyramid." There was amusement, awe, and disbelief in his voice, as if describing a mythical creature, "Your father had brought me to a room before I came here."
I would not have pegged my father as someone who would flaunt his wealth. Afterall, they have declared something about real wealth whispering. Did their conversation go so wrong that father would rather pay Soma off than for me to be with him?. "Was there any reason for that?"
Soma hesitated for a moment, thinking of how to phrase his response, "He said that it could all be mine… if I left and never contacted you again." his voice was caught at some parts.
My heart sank like a lead brick.
…That …That was a rejection, right?
I would imagine it was Father's way of saying, "I'm paying you to go away with F U money."
Excuse the colloquialism; It seemed the perfect term for this situation.
My mind was immediately filled with a myriad of situations that may have led to that kind of response. I may have been naive to assume that Soma's natural charm would carry the conversation and would win Father over. Perhaps it was simply a mismatch of personality, or maybe a misunderstanding.
Or even Father… was just being a father?
A wave of indignity washed over me at the thought of being coddled. Another angle of that same line of thought was Soma being baited with that kind of money. I knew Father was not very receptive to Soma as compared to Mother, but this seemed too much!
The act was unmistakably insulting.
Then again, "You're here," I stated, figuring that had some significance.
"I am." He gave my hand an assuring squeeze,
"You said 'No' to Father?" Remember, that was even in the face of a billion Japanese Yen.
"No amount of money would change what I feel for you." The warmth from his words and touch flowed through me. It revealed a silver lining in this situation:
I am Soma's priority.
That touched me in a way that mere words could not express. I simply laid my head on his broad shoulder, enjoying his presence while he placed an arm around me to hold me close, giving me a peck on my forehead. I breathed in his musky sandalwood scent with hints of the food he made this morning.
We sat there for a moment, both lost in thought.
"What did he say after you rejected the offer?" I asked, without shifting away
"He only nodded and said that he'll meet me at dinner, I was then brought here."
Huh? How peculiar. "He still wants you to make dinner?"
"Yeh… I don't know if it was something I said, but I will take this as an opportunity to make up with him!"
His words filled me with hope and belief that Father would eventually be won over by him: That's what I liked about my boyfriend: his boundless optimism.
"So besides asking more about you and showing you that stack of cash, did you talk about anything else?"
Soma thought for a moment, "He did ask me to make myself at home, and if I would like a smoke or an alcoholic beverage. I declined the offer. Other than that, nope, That's all we talked about."
Despite Soma obliviousness, I had a feeling Father was testing him. Nonetheless, it was not my priority to pursue, so I pressed on:
"That's all?"
"That's all."
"He didn't… mention anything about… family names?" I was a little nervous about broaching the subject.
"Family names?" Soma tapped his chin, "that didn't come up… what about it?"
I pulled back. It took some effort but I explained to Soma about the talk with Mother, and that he would have to adopt the Arato name should we settle down.
It went as well as I expected:
"What? Is that really necessary?" The usual Soma is open enough to roll with the situation, however, he could not help sounding upset.
"I am the last child for the Arato line…" I replied diplomatically, leaving the implication that it was not up for debate for him to pick up.
"So am I for the Yukihira line." This was personal for Soma. "What about the Yukihira Family Restaurant? …"
I sympathetically listened to his rant, knowing that all he needed was to get it out of his system. After all, this is the end of a lineage on the table. Thoughts of the matter were conveyed when our eyes met, each pleading to the other, even though we both knew the inevitable decision would fall on Soma.
"I think it would be better if I consulted my dad about this."
That was a good idea, being that this involves the family name.
Naturally, I agreed.
It took two attempts for the call to connect, "Hey pops… yeh, I'm alright… NO! HISAKO ISN'T PREGNANT!" I blushed at those words, Soma was a deep red too. "She's next to me, so watch your words, old man!"
"Hi, Yukihira-oji-san." I greeted, subtly supporting Soma's point.
"Video call?" Soma glanced over to me, I responded with a nod, "hang on… there we go."
Soma's father was clearly moving through a well established kitchen, with cooks busy at work behind him. "Yo, Arato, it's been awhile. Soma is treating you well?"
"Very well, Yukihira-oji-san."
"Good to see you've met up. How's your flight to Nanjing? You're at the hotel?"
"Hotel?" Soma looked behind him, only then realising the luxury of our background. "Erm, no, just a sitting room."
"That's some sitting room. I thought it was the Ritz." He laughed, before taking a pause to taste test something one of the cooks brought to him, "So, what's up, my boy?"
"Hey pops… would you mind giving 5 minutes?"
"Oh? Sure. 阿鑫，接手一下!" He called out to someone in the back.
"Are you in a Chinese kitchen?"
"In Beijing actually," the older Yukihira replied as he made his way somewhere private, "You got me at the right time, I gotta check up on the grilled sea cucumbers."
"What did you do with it?"
"Brined in Teriyaki and chinchalok sous vide. After grilling with powdered sugar, I'll be serving it with a lemongrass lime dip. Sounds disgusting, right?"
"It definitely sounds disgusting… I'd like to try it!"
Despite my feelings for Soma, I could not help but roll my eyes at the penchant for their weird cooking combinations. A light smile still played on my lips.
"I'll be sure to save you some. Nanjing is just a hop away. Now, Soma, you rarely ask for a talk like this. What's on your mind?"
Soma and I explained to his father the matter of family names, and how my family was making it clear that it was a matter that we should be clear about before we committed further.
Yukihira-oji-san listened intently and was surprisingly understanding about it. "Soma, do you recall that 'Yukihira' isn't my birth family name?"
"Yeh…"
"My old name had its own history and reputation that any kitchen and restaurant would somehow seek me out to cook for them. It's the kind of life that suffocated the flame within me over time. When I met your mother, she helped me rekindle the passion of cooking and of life. Adopting the Yukihira family name is an homage to her, and allows me to live a life that I wanted, a life of anonymity.
"On the legal registry, I'm Yukihira Jouichirou. On the other hand, I still go by my old name at work for its reputation.
"A name is never gone. What I'm trying to say is, even though a name has significance, what is important is what it stands for in your heart." Soma's father tapped a clenched fist on his chest.
"What about our family's restaurant? The Yukihira line?"
"Our Yukihira is a brand of our cooking style. Even if you keep the name, someday, somehow, the restaurant may eventually change hands and it's up to the new owners to decide on it. What we can do, is to make it a brand that future generations will aim to uphold, and pass down the traditions.
"As for the Yukihira line, you don't have to worry. The mere fact that you thought of it was already sufficient. In fact, your grandpa, being one for tradition, had originally insisted that Tamako take my family name. I had to convince him otherwise."
The conversation fell to a natural pause as we considered what was said.
"Follow your heart, Soma. That's my fatherly advice." Soma's father smiled with familial pride, "you will have my support for your decisions. Besides," he nodded towards me, "with Arato being so well raised, I'm sure her family's insistence was not made lightly."
Hearing such words, I felt grateful that my boyfriend has such a supportive family member for our relationship. Soma seemed more confident and assured too.
"So, which hotel are you in?" Soma's father asked.
"It's not a hotel…" Soma glanced over to me out of courtesy. Is it alright?
Sure, go ahead, I replied with a nod.
Well, my parents did say they wanted to meet the enigmatic older Yukihira… then I put together why the usually resourceful staff was unable to find information about him.
I had to ask, "Yukihira-oji-san, out of curiosity, what was your name before you married?"
"Saiba," the old man smirked, "Saiba Jouichirou. I still go by it when dealing with professional matters."
"Dad was a former 2nd seat in Totsuki," added Soma.
"WHAT?" I had no idea…
"Yeh… It's a fact that only the Polar Star is aware of."
To think that I was in close proximity with such talent to be named the 2nd Seat without realizing it… Soma must be real good in keeping things quiet and humble enough not to brag.
After the call ended, I gave Soma's hand a squeeze to which he responded with a squeeze on his own.
"Yukihira Hisako." I muttered. That name just rolls off the tongue.
Although, we know it may never be.
"Arato Soma" he responds with a weary smile, coming to terms with the development. "It may take some time for me to get used to it."
Understandable.
"For now," he lifted our bandana bound wrist, fire returning to his eyes, bravely moving on, "we have a meal to prepare!"
A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I really can't thank you enough for the motivation they give and I hope I continue to interest you with new developments that would mean something in this new relationship our red headed couple is making.
Next Chapter: final chapter of Arc 3! What do Hisako's parents think about their potential son-in-law?
As a challenge, feel free to drop in twists or lines that you like to see. I'll see what I can fit in!
Looking forward to your feedback and support!
Thanks again!