Hey hey! Guess who's late with another update? *raises hand* Yeah, that's me. But in my defence, life has been BUSY. First, I had my birthday last month (I'm old :'), and then I decided to take on the mighty challenge of gardening. Sounds peaceful, right? WRONG. Planting hedges is hell
Now, onto the story stuff!
First of all, I'm so happy that people are enjoying these drabbles! As for a certain question I saw in the reviews, yes, the previous chapters take place before Kyoya got his scars. And about that... I will write a scene showing how he gets them. I'm going to stick pretty closely to what Takafumi Adachi himself wrote, buuuut with some tweaks because, well, I saw that sketch he did, and let's just say... I'm not 100% sold on the whole "shattered glass" thing either :D So expect something similar but definitely not the same.
As for this chapter, we're diving into Hikaru's family dynamics! A little change of pace, but I hope you all enjoy it. Let me know what you think, and as always, thanks for reading!
Hero
The morning air in Jeju City was crisp, carrying a faint scent of the sea breeze as Hikaru walked hand in hand with her parents. The streets were alive with activity even at this hour, vendors setting up their stalls and colourful signs in characters that she couldn't read. Conversations swirled around her in the lilting cadence of a language she didn't understand, making her feel like she'd stepped into an entirely different world.
The seven-year-old girl clutched her father's hand, her small fingers curling around his as they strolled past a lively square. Her violet eyes sparkled with curiosity and excitement at the scene unfolding before her. Children, only slightly older than she was, formed a tight circle on the cobblestone ground. Their faces were alight with joy and anticipation as they shouted and laughed, their voices echoing around the square. In the centre of the group, colourful beyblades spun furiously, clashing in a shallow makeshift arena, sending sparks of enthusiasm through the air.
Hikaru gasped happily. "Daddy, look! They're beyblading too!"
Hideyoshi grinned down at her. "Think you could take them on, champ?"
"Totally!" Hikaru declared, puffing out her chest, though she knew her launcher was back at the hotel. "But maybe later."
"Let's not keep the beach waiting too long," her mother chimed in, her gentle voice steering them onward. She held a parasol over her shoulder, already prepared to shield herself from the sun.
The beach was just a short distance away. Hikaru could already see colourful beach umbrellas and people lounging on chairs, enjoying the warm summer day, when she suddenly caught a scent in the air that made her stop in her tracks. It was rich, mouthwatering, and carried an intriguing sweetness beneath the spice. She turned her head, nose twitching like a curious kitten, and spotted a small food stall where thick, glistening rice cakes bathed in a fiery red sauce. Whatever it was, she had never smelled anything like it before.
Mitsuki, noticing her daughter's interest, followed her gaze to a nearby food stall where steam rose from large metal pans. The vendor greeted them with a friendly nod, and she smiled in return, then proceeded to ask him what the dish was. The man responded enthusiastically, followed up with a few more words, which Mitsuki listened to with interest making an order and soon, two plates piled high with the delicious foreign food were handed over.
"It's called tteokbokki." Hikaru's mother explained while handing her one of the plates and a fork. "It's rice cakes in a spicy gochujang sauce, so be careful when you eat it."
Hikaru's eyes lit up at the sight of the glossy red sauce coating the rice cakes, making them look even more tempting. "Spicy?" she repeated, blowing on the first piece to cool it off. It smelled amazing so she wasn't about to back down.
Taking a bite, Hikaru's first thought was: Delicious! The rice cake was chewy, the sauce thick and flavourful with a hint of sweetness. But then—
Her eyes widened. A slow, creeping heat built up on her tongue, then exploded all at once. It burned.
"Ah!" Hikaru gasped, fanning her mouth, while her parents laughed at her dramatic reaction. "It's spicy! Really spicy!"
"Told you to be careful," her mother teased, taking a delicate bite of her own portion.
Hikaru stuck out her tongue, debating whether to keep going. It hurt but at the same time, it was so good. She took a deep breath, letting the burn settle, and then, before she could second-guess herself, she dug in again.
Hideyoshi and Mitsuki exchanged amused looks as their daughter powered through the heat, determined to enjoy every bite. She might not have been used to this kind of spiciness, but one thing was for sure - tteokbokki was amazing.
As Mitsuki reached for another bite, she paused, her fork hovering just inches from Hideyoshi's mouth. Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she tilted her head. "Want to try?" she asked sweetly.
Hideyoshi, unsuspecting and curious, leaned in, parting his lips just as Mitsuki's fork made its approach, only for her to snatch it away at the last second and pop the rice cake into her own mouth instead. A victorious smirk stretched across her face as she chewed, savouring both the taste and her little triumph.
Hideyoshi blinked, then exhaled through his nose, fixing his wife with a look of exaggerated betrayal. "Seriously?"
His wife hummed in delight, her grin stretching wider. "Mmm, delicious~" she taunted, her voice dripping with playful cruelty. Then, as if offering a peace treaty, she speared another rice cake and extended it toward her husband once more.
If she thought he'd fall for the same trick twice, she had gravely underestimated the man she married.
With the precision of a seasoned strategist, Hideyoshi leaned in, not toward the fork, but toward her lips. Before she could react, he stole a quick, feather-light kiss, catching her completely off guard. Mitsuki gaped, her eyes going wide in surprise. And that's when Hideyoshi struck again, dipping down to swiftly bite into the rice cake she still held out, claiming his rightful prize.
"Hey!" she huffed in feigned outrage, cheeks blooming pink.
Hideyoshi only chewed, utterly smug. "Mmm," he mimicked her earlier taunt, "so delicious."
Mitsuki made one last annoyed sound, but the way she bit her lip to hide her smile said everything.
Hikaru rolled her eyes, spearing another rice cake from her plate. "You guys are so embarrassing."
Hideyoshi grinned at his little one. "One day, you'll thank us for showing you how it's done."
"Doubt it," Hikaru mumbled, though her lips quirked into a smile she couldn't quite suppress. Secretly, she liked seeing her parents this way, happy and teasing, their love so obvious it warmed her heart more than the tteokbokki ever could.
The salty breeze carried the sound of waves crashing onto the shore, mixing with the laughter of children and the distant cries of seagulls. The sun burned bright in the sky, though Mitsuki barely noticed. Seated comfortably in a beach chair beneath the shade of a large umbrella, she flipped through the pages of a thick file, her brows furrowed in deep concentration.
It had been two hours since they arrived, and though she was supposed to be relaxing, work always had a way of pulling her in. The case she was reviewing was a tough one, and being a newly certified lawyer, one of the few women in the field, meant she had to work twice as hard to prove herself. But even as she studied the documents, her ears stayed tuned to the sounds of the ocean, to the familiar voice of her husband, and the gleeful laughter of their daughter.
Out in the water, Hikaru was beaming, her little hands tightly gripping Hideyoshi's as she braced herself on his broad shoulders.
"Ready, squirt?" Hideyoshi called up to her, his voice filled with amusement.
Hikaru smirked down at him, flicking some water from her fingers. "I told you not to call me that, old man."
Hideyoshi let out a deep chuckle, shaking his head. "I'm twenty-nine, not ancient."
"Same thing."
That earned a low tch from him, though there was no mistaking the proud grin that tugged at the corners of his lips.
With a strong push from his legs, he launched them both out of the water, his powerful arms releasing her hands just in time for Hikaru to flip backward into the air. She twisted gracefully before diving back into the sea, sending up a huge splash.
A second later, she surfaced, gasping, her soaked bangs sticking to her forehead. "That was awesome!"
"Not bad, not bad," Hideyoshi teased, slicking back his wet hair. "I'd give it a solid seven out of ten."
Hikaru gasped in mock offence, her competitive streak already apparent even at her young age. "Seven?! You didn't even see it! That was at least a nine!"
"Seven-point-five, then."
"Eight-point-nine," she bargained.
Hideyoshi smirked. "Fine. Eight. Final offer."
Hikaru narrowed her eyes but accepted it with a huff. "Deal."
From the shore, Mitsuki finally glanced up from her files, taking in the sight of the two of them in the water - her husband, home from deployment for only a short while, and their daughter, absolutely glowing with joy. A small smile tugged at her lips. They were two of a kind, those two. The same sense of humour, same stubborn streak.
"Hideyoshi! Hikaru!" she called out, glancing over her sunglasses. "It's been two hours. You'll need more sunscreen!"
"We'll be there in a bit!" Hideyoshi shouted back before turning to his daughter. "You hear that? Mom's orders. Let's go."
"Not yet!" Hikaru protested, her violet eyes sparkling with mischief. "I just need to find a few more seashells!"
Her father chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, but don't take too long. Your mom's got radar for UV rays." With that, he started back toward the shore.
Hikaru waded through the shallows, scanning the sandy floor for hidden treasures. The water was cool and clear, ideal conditions for her second favourite pastime after beyblading. With years of swimming lessons from her navy dad, she felt entirely at ease in the water, swimming having become second nature to her.
The occasional waves nudging her back towards the shallows didn't deter the girl from venturing deeper. Spotting something partially buried in the sand, Hikaru dove and retrieved it, only to find it was merely a bottle cap. She sighed in frustration and continued her search. Soon, a glint in the water caught her eye. Diving again, she successfully retrieved the shiny object. As she resurfaced, she examined the gleaming white shell in her hands and grinned. It was the perfect memento from her trip. Maybe she could find a few more to bring to her grandparents.
But when Hikaru looked down, she noticed the water had darkened, no longer crystal clear. The seabed was shifting, turning into swirling clouds of mud.
A cold prickle ran down her spine.
Where were the waves?
The ocean had stopped pushing.
And then she felt it. A tug. Gentle. Deceptive.
Then another - stronger more insistent.
Hikaru's heart nearly stopped. She tried to step forward, but the sea current had already wrapped around her legs like invisible chains. The pull became a yank. The sand beneath her vanished. She was moving, drifting, no, being downright dragged.
Panic exploded in Hikaru's chest. She twisted, kicked, but the water had turned against her. The ocean was swallowing her whole. She clawed at the surface, gasping, begging for her little body to swim faster. But the harder she fought, the stronger it pulled. Her strokes barely moved her and the shore was getting smaller.
And then she remembered.
Her parents' warnings. The stories. The thing she had always assumed happened to other people.
Riptide.
The word slammed into her like a punch to the gut.
Hikaru tried to scream, but saltwater rushed into her mouth. She choked, coughed, flailed wildly, but the more she struggled, the faster she was pulled.
No, no, no!
"Dad!" she managed to shriek, terror clawing up her throat.
Onshore, Hideyoshi's head snapped up. His gut twisted at the sight of his daughter being hauled out to sea.
"Hikaru!"
Without hesitation, he sprinted into the surf, the cold bite of the water barely registering as he plunged forward. Years of training, of instinct, took over. His powerful strokes cut through the waves, his breath steady even as dread gripped his chest, even as the saltwater stung his eyes.
Hikaru thrashed, her tiny hands grasping at nothing, her lungs burning as she bobbed under the surface.
Then—arms. Strong, steady, unyielding.
"I've got you, I've got you." Her father's voice, firm and unshakeable sliced through the terror. She latched onto him, her fingers digging into his skin, her small body trembling violently.
The current was still pulling them, dragging them farther out.
"Listen to me," her father told, his voice urgent but calm. "We can't fight this. If we try to swim straight back, it'll only exhaust us and pull us further. We go sideways, okay? We swim with it, not against it."
Hikaru whimpered but nodded, trusting her father.
He pulled her onto his back, her arms locking around his neck as he kicked off, swimming parallel to the shore. His muscles burned, but he ignored it, forcing his way through the water. The current pulled at him like a beast trying to drag them both away, but he refused to give in. Stroke by stroke, he pushed forward, defying the tide with sheer willpower.
The minutes stretched like an eternity. His limbs started to feel heavy. The pull of the undercurrent was relentless, but inch by inch, he pushed them past its grip.
Then, suddenly, it was gone. The water was calmer. The shore was closer.
Hideyoshi gasped for air, adjusting his grip on Hikaru as he powered through the remaining waves. Her fingers dug into his shoulders like a lifeline, her breath uneven.
The moment Hideyoshi's feet touched solid ground, he hoisted Hikaru into his arms, cradling her close against his chest. She was still coughing and shaking from the ordeal, but she was breathing. She was alive.
Mitsuki was already racing toward them, her face pale, eyes wide with fear. "Hikaru!" she cried, her voice breaking as she reached them.
Hideyoshi barely had time to steady himself before Mitsuki all but ripped their daughter from his arms, holding her so tightly Hikaru let out a small gasp. As soon as she felt the warmth of her mother's embrace, the reality of what had just happened finally hit her. The terror, the helplessness, the feeling of the ocean pulling her under…it all came rushing back at once.
Hikaru broke down. A choked sob escaped her lips, then another, until she was crying in full force, her small hands clutching desperately at Mitsuki's shirt. Her mother rocked her gently, whispering soothing words into her ear as she ran her hands over Hikaru's drenched hair, her back, her arms, frantically checking her over as if she couldn't believe she was really safe.
"Oh, sweetheart, I've got you. You're okay. You're okay," she murmured, her voice trembling.
It took a few minutes, but Hikaru's sobs slowly faded into soft sniffles. Mitsuki held her so tightly she could feel the frantic pounding of her heart against her own chest. For a split second, no, longer than that, an eternity, Mitsuki had believed she'd lost Hikaru. She had seen the way the ocean swallowed her child, the way her husband had vanished into the waves after her, and all she could do was run, helpless, screaming their names as if her voice alone could call them back to her. But the sea didn't listen. It never had. It only took.
And yet, Hideyoshi had fought against it, defied it, and won.
A sharp breath shuddered through Mitsuki as she finally turned to him, her eyes drinking him in - soaked from head to toe, chest heaving, muscles still taut from the strain of fighting the tide. He was standing, but only just, like the weight of what had just happened was finally pressing down on him now that it was over.
She reached for him instinctively, her fingers brushing his cheek before cupping his face fully, as if grounding herself in the solidness of him. He was here. Hikaru was here. They were both safe.
Her throat tightened. "Are you okay?"
A slow breath escaped him. He gave her a small nod, the exhaustion in his gaze softened by reassurance. "I'm fine."
The relief that surged through her was so strong it nearly knocked her off her feet. A broken laugh, thick with emotion, slipped from her lips, and without thinking, she pulled him forward into a desperate, breathless embrace. For one fleeting second, she let herself fall into him, let herself tremble, let herself acknowledge just how close she had come to losing everything.
Mitsuki had always been strong, always been the kind of woman who kept herself composed, but this…this was different. The love of her life had just pulled their baby girl from the grip of the ocean. She had almost become a widow. She had almost lost her child. The thought was unbearable.
So she held them both.
One arm around her daughter, the other gripping the back of her husband's shirt, as if she could tether them to her forever. As if she could keep them safe just by holding them close.
Hikaru meanwhile looked down at her hand. Her fingers were clenched tightly around something smooth, cool, and solid.
The seashell.
The one she had picked up right before the ocean took her. She stared at it, mesmerized, as realization settled also in her.
She had almost died.
And her father had saved her.
A lump formed in her throat, but this time, it wasn't from fear. It was something deeper.
Hikaru turned her gaze up to Hideyoshi, her wide, awed eyes locking onto his. He had always been strong. He had always been brave. He had always been selfless for Hikaru and Mitsuki.
For her, this was the definition of a hero.
From that day on, Hikaru's admiration for her father grew even deeper, and the seashell she'd found became a keepsake of the day her hero saved her.
So, this is basically the setup for the Hasamas. I had fun shaping their personalities and careers to fit the story in a way that made sense. Since Hikaru clearly looks up to her mom, I thought it'd be fitting for her to have a job that Hikaru could actually follow in - so, lawyer it is. Now she can literally walk in her mother's footsteps.
As for her dad, making him part of the navy felt like the perfect choice. It ties Hikaru even more to the sea, and it also easily explains why he's not always around without needing some dramatic reason for his absence.
Now, the names…I was definitely biased here. I picked Mitsuki because I love a singer with that name, and the meaning, "beautiful moon," just felt right. Hideyoshi has meanings like "excellent" and "virtuous," but honestly? I mostly chose it because it starts with Hi-, just like Hikaru's. I couldn't resist :D
Later on, you'll see how different Hikaru's and Kyoya's family situations are. Hikaru's parents were young when they had her, and yeah, she was totally unplanned, but they genuinely loved each other and built a happy family. Meanwhile, Gaou and Reina? Their marriage was more practical than romantic. They did obviously like each other at first (even in modern arranged marriages, if a couple doesn't click, they don't force it), but it wasn't some grand love story.