"You found all of these on your own?" Rosa started at all the statues Rena had collected.
When Rena told her she wanted to show her her "treasures," Rosa wasn't sure what she meant. At most, Rosa thought they were stuffed animals that Rena loved and had collected. She wasn't expecting statues sitting in her yard.
"How did you even get them here?" Rosa's eyes stayed wide as she looked at Colonel Sanders's one.
"Keiichi helps me with them." Rena smiled. "Not only does he sometimes help dig them out, he also helps carry them here."
"Shouldn't most girls your age collect things like jewelry instead?" Rosa sighed.
"But I'm the only one with anything like these." Rena smiled.
"I guess you have a point." Rosa smiled back while rolling her eyes. "I'm more surprised your dad isn't concerned with all this."
"Why would he be?" Rena dropped her smile.
"Besides the statues, it sounds dangerous to get them out, from what you told me." Rosa sighed as she looked at Maria in her arms. "I can only imagine how scared I'd be hearing Maria tried digging one out."
"I promise we never try to take one if it's too risky." Rena smiled. "And if there's ever any risk, I'm always with someone like Keiichi."
"At least you're being safe then." Rosa smiled while still looking at Maria. "Still, I hope you don't get this habit when you're older."
"Rena." Maria smiled back.
"I promise anytime I babysit Maria, it won't be there." Rena stood in front of Rosa. "We could just stay home; I could teach her to cook and do makeup. Maybe something art-related like knitting or sewing."
"Rena, what got into you today?" Rosa frowned. "Since the day started, you've been acting strange."
"I…" Rena stuttered as she stepped back. "I just really want you and Maria to stay. That's all."
"Yeah, but you told me yesterday you weren't going to bug me about it cause you knew everyone else was." Rosa stared at Rena. "Now you're bringing it up as much as Shion, only it doesn't sound like you're joking with me like she does."
Rena looked down and frowned. She remembered this morning and how she had decided to do something to help Rosa. She didn't realize she had been so overboard with everything.
"Is there something going on that's making you act different today?" Rosa frowned. "If something's wrong, please tell me."
"Rena…" Maria slowly said as she frowned and looked up at her.
"Well, about this morning," Rena started to say but was cut off by two people yelling. She and Rosa turned to her house, where it was coming from.
"What was that?" Rosa raised an eyebrow as she held Maria closer.
"That sounded like my dad." Rena frowned as she jogged towards her house. "I'll be right back."
"Wait, Rena!" Rosa reached out as Rena kept jogging away. She watched as Rena walked through the door of her house.
"Dad?" Rena called out as she walked inside. "Dad, are you o…."
Rena froze in place as she walked into the kitchen, seeing her dad and mom standing in front of each other. Both of them were staring at her as she stared at them.
"Rena…" Reiko broke the silence. "You've grown since…"
"What are you doing here!?" Rena instantly screamed back.
"Rena, I," Reiko tried to say but was cut off again.
"You told Dad and me you never wanted to see us again!" Rena's eyes started to tear up. Before she could continue, she heard a baby starting to cry. She finally noticed the stroller in the kitchen.
"It's okay." Reiko walked over and lifted a baby out of the stroller. She slowly rocked her in her arms, "It's okay; there's no need to cry."
Rena looked at the baby with the same orange hair as her, wearing a black dress and holding a black teddy bear. She then remembered how her mom told her she was pregnant when she asked him to leave her father with her.
"Came to brag about having a new daughter to care for since I didn't want to go with you!?" Rena sniffled as she looked down.
"Rena, I swear that's not the case." Reiko started to get tears in her eyes. "I just came to,"
"I don't care!" Rena stomped her foot. "I don't need you in my life! Or that worthless baby you have in your…."
"Rena, what's going on!?" Rosa yelled, getting everyone to turn to look at her. While Rena's parents just looked at her confused, Rena frowned as she started to shake. "I could hear you screaming out there like a mad person! Even Maria is terrified!"
"Rena…" Maria sniffled as she looked at her, clutching her teddy bear.
While Rena stood there looking terrified, Rosa noticed the baby crying and looked at the woman holding her. Rosa walked closer and smiled.
"Maria, look, another adorable baby just like you." Rosa giggled as she held her up to look at her. Thankfully, both of them stopped crying as they looked at each other. "Why, she looks just like Rena, doesn't she?"
"Rena?" Maria said, looking at the mystery baby.
"And what's your name, sweetie?" Rosa leaned closer.
"It's Nao…" Reiko slowly said. "Her name is Nao."
"That's a pretty name." Rosa smiled. "I heard you're Rena's little sister, too. You have the best big sister ever, just so you know."
Rena's eyes grew as she heard Rosa say that. Before she could respond, Rosa walked up and handed Maria to her.
"Rena, why don't you let Maria and Nao play together." Rosa smiled. "I want to talk to your mom and dad alone."
"But I," Rena tried to protest.
"Rena," Rosa stared at her, dropping her smile. "Please watch them while I speak with your parents."
"Okay." Rena looked down as she walked over to Reiko, who slowly handed Nao to her. Rena walked to her room with the both of them, and Rosa stayed in the kitchen.
"So you're Rosa?" Mr Ryuugu said as he sat down. "Rena has told me so much about you and Maria."
Rosa just stared at the both of them, silent as she kept her arms crossed. Reiko was next to break the silence.
"I take it Rena is amazing with kids." Reiko lightly laughed. "How she carried our daughters seems like she's a natural."
"And you wouldn't know a damn thing about that, would you?" Rosa glared at her. "After all, you only left her after finding another man."
"That's not," Reiko stuttered as she frowned. "I mean, I didn't,"
"Didn't what?" Rosa cut her off. "Didn't want to have a relationship with your daughter because she decided not to go with you?"
"That's," Reiko looked down. "I just,"
"Well, thanks to you, Rena was ready to forget about her little sister because you didn't want to keep her in your life. And all that because she didn't want to leave her father." Rosa glared at her and then to her father. "And you're not much better. You stood there and let your daughter freak out when you should be stepping in to calm her down. I know damn well if I hadn't jumped in, Rena would have said something she'd regret."
Rena's father looked down as well. He knew Rosa was right and didn't have any response to this. Meanwhile, Rena was in the room next to the kitchen, listening in while holding Maria and Nao.
"You should be thankful; I'm at least making sure Rena cares about her little sister." Rosa walked over to her mom and stood face-to-face with her. "I know what it's like not having a relationship with an older sister and her saying you're worthless. And believe me, that's the last thing I want to happen between them. Especially with how sweet of a girl Rena is."
That last line was enough for Rena as she started to cry and ran back into the kitchen.
"Rosa!" Rena put Maria and Nao on the table in front of her dad before running up and hugging her. "Rosa, I'm sorry! I don't deserve any of you praising me!"
"Rena, what are you talking about?" Rosa jumped as Rena clung to her tight.
"I've been begging you to stay 'cause this morning, your sister Eva called and said you were an embarrassment and worthless!" Rena cried into Rosa's chest. "She also called me a moron and said you couldn't get a real vacation unless you slept with someone!"
Rosa's eyes grew wide from hearing all of that. She tried to speak, but Rena continued.
"I don't want you going back to your family if that's how they'll treat you and Maria!" Rena looked up at her, tears running down her face. "I promise I'll be good, and watch Maria for free anytime you want! I'll even work at your clothing business for free, doing whatever you want me to do! Just don't go back to them! Unlike them, I need you and want you here!"
Rosa closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She then placed her hands on the sides of Rena's face.
"Rena." Rosa opened her eyes and stared into Rena's. "There is something important I need you to do for me."
"Anything for you." Rena sniffled as she wiped her eyes.
"I need you to watch Maria and Nao for me." Rosa pointed at them. "I need to do something very important, so you need to take care of both of them until I get back. Do you understand?""
"Okay." Rena nodded as she walked back over and picked them up. She then walked to her room for real this time. Once she was gone, Rosa turned to both of Rena's parents.
"As for the both of you, don't you dare argue about any of your stuff while I'm gone." Rosa continued. "Whatever you need to discuss will wait til I get back. Got it?"
"But," Reiko raised her hand before Rosa glared at her. She paused as she put her hand down. "Okay, we'll wait for you to come back."
"Good." Rosa turned from Reiko to Rena's father. "And you?"
He only nodded back to her as he stayed quiet.
"Good, I'll be back in a little bit." Rosa turned and walked out of the house.