Chapter 11 - The Date
Senku's friends caught up to him in a matter of seconds. He barely had enough time to block Kohaku from their view. It was already bad enough that he got roped into going out on the biggest date night of the year; the last thing he needed was for them to start asking questions that he wasn't prepared to answer.
"AH, HAH, HAH! Wow! What are you doing here?" Taiju asked in surprise. "I thought you always hated Christmas Eve 'cause of all the couply stuff."
"Yeah," agreed Yuzuriha. "I would've never expected to see you out on Christmas Eve, Senku."
"Well, let's just say the old man didn't give me much of a choice." He picked his ear with resentment, just remembering the deal he made with his father.
"You mean your father's back from his expedition? That's great! Is he here with you? I'd love to say hello."
"YEAH! I wanna hear about all the awesome stuff he did in space!"
"Sorry, but no. He's... entertaining some guests tonight."
"Some guests, huh? Speaking of which, are you going to introduce us to your guest?" Despite his efforts to hide her, Yuzuriha managed to catch a glimpse of blonde hair peeking out from behind him.
"You caught that, did you?" He gave a sigh of resignation before stepping aside to reveal Kohaku.
"WHA...?! YOU'RE HERE WITH A GIRL? ARE YOU ON A DATE?!" Taiju couldn't contain his shock and shouted loud enough to draw the attention of all the people walking by.
"Would ya keep it down, Big Oaf? Since when have you ever known me to date?" He dodged the question, neither denying nor confirming if this was one.
Then, all of a sudden, Yuzuriha let out a gasp of pure shock. "Oh my gosh! She looks just like Lillian Weinberg!"
"Hey, you're right." Taiju was in full agreement.
"Senku, who is she?"
"I'm Senku's mate," Kohaku blurted out unabashedly, not understanding the gravity of what she had just said.
"WHAT?!" Taiju and Yuzuriha shouted in unison, their eyes practically bursting out of their heads.
Senku wore a look of absolute horror. Leave it to the lioness to make things ten billion percent more complicated. Luckily, he came up with a clever lie right on the spot.
"Don't get the wrong idea. She's still learning Japanese, and in English, 'mate' is just another way to say friend."
—Just play along and leave the talking to me. Got it, Lioness?— he thought, taking full advantage of her ability to read his mind.
"Oh, that makes sense." Yuzuriha relaxed a bit. "Wow, she really does look a lot like Lillian. So tell us. Who is she?"
That last comment gave Senku a spark of inspiration, and he ran with it. "Well, you'll find out eventually, so I might as well tell you. She's Lillian's niece."
"HUH?!" The pair shouted out loud once again.
"YOU'RE ON A DATE WITH LILLIAN WEINBERG'S NIECE?! HOW'D THAT HAPPEN?" asked Taiju.
"I never said this was a date, ya big oaf. And quit yelling like a lunatic. You'll draw a crowd. "
"Never mind that. Where did you even meet her?" Yuzuriha had a million questions running through her head.
"It's a long story, but basically, Byakuya met Lillian on the International Space Station, and they got to be pretty close. He even invited her to visit Japan. And when the old man mentioned he had a son in high school, she decided to let her niece tag along." Senku's lie was so convincing that his friends bought it hook, line, and sinker.
"So that means the Lillian Weinberg is at your apartment right this second? What's she like? Is she just as pretty in person? Oh, you've just gotta let me meet her!" In all her excitement, Yuzuriha got dangerously close to Senku, making him visibly uncomfortable.
"Maybe later." He immediately backed away. "First, I gotta keep my word to the old man."
"Oh, I bet your dad is making you show Lillian's niece around town, huh? Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Yuzuriha, and he's Taiju. What's your name?"
"I'm..."
"Her name's Amber. Amber Weinberg." Senku cut her off before she could answer. He quickly came up with a fake name, knowing it would be too suspicious if she was a foreigner with a Japanese name.
"But you can call me Kohaku if you'd like."
"Kohaku?" His friends gave her a quizzical look.
Senku would've facepalmed right then and there if it wouldn't have blown their cover. "It's the Japanese word for amber. She… liked the way it sounded?"
"Oh, so it's like a nickname? Cool! I wonder what my name would be in English."
"It would be 'Big Oaf', obviously."
"AH, HAH, HAH! Good one, Senku." Taiju simply laughed off the insult.
"Okay then, Kohaku." Yuzuriha said with a friendly smile. "We were just on our way to check out the illuminations at Midtown Garden. They're supposed to have a brand new display this year. You two should join us."
"Yeah, you guys should totally come with! It'll be like a double date! Come on!"
"It's not a..." Senku was about to flatout deny that this was a date, when Taiju bolted for the garden with Yuzuriha in tow. He sighed in defeat, knowing he was better off just saving his breath.
"Senku, are you really okay with lying to your friends?" asked Kohaku.
"Trying to explain the truth to them would be overly complicated, not to mention a pain in the ass. So just stick to my story and try not to draw any suspicion to yourself," he advised before taking her hand once more and guiding the way. "Now let's go and get this over with."
...
"Papa, come here!" Suika pulled Byakuya by the hand, leading him to the kitchen. "Look what me and Momma made."
"Suika, sweetheart, I told ya. Call me Lillian."
"Okay, Momma Lillian."
"No, just Lillian," she corrected.
"Aw, come on. What's the big deal, Momma Lillian?" Byakuya teased with a smirk.
"Now don't you start!" Lillian narrowed her eyes at him.
"Heh! Sorry, but once a kid settles on what they wanna call you, there's no breaking the habit. Do you have any idea how long I've been stuck with the labels old man and geezer? Just face it, you're officially momma now."
"You don't know that!" Lillian argued. "It's still early. I just gotta keep remindin' her."
"Alright. Suit yourself." He shrugged dismissively. "Now... What do we have here?"
Sitting on the kitchen counter was a lovely little cake covered in fluffy whipped cream frosting and topped with plump red strawberries. Among the strawberries were a few additional cake toppers, including a cute little polar bear figure wearing a Santa hat, some plastic bells and holly, and an edible plaque made of chocolate that read "Merry Christmas".
"It's a Christmas cake!" Suika replied gleefully.
"Amazing! And you made this yourself? You're so talented!"
"Hee, hee! No~ I just helped. Momma did most of the work."
"I see. Well then, you must be a wonderful helper. It looks so good I wanna bite into it right now!" Byakuya brought his face closer to the cake as if he actually meant to take a bite out of it.
"No, Papa!" Suika held her little hands out to keep him at bay. "We have to wait for Sister Kohaku and Big Brother Senku."
"Aww... we do?" Byakuya feigned disappointment.
"Uh-huh! Me and Momma made this cake so we can all eat it together."
"That's right! So don't ya go gettin' any funny ideas. This cake goes in the fridge until after dinner." Lillian pointed an accusatory finger at Byakuya to let him know she meant business.
"Oh... Momma's scary. No need to tell me twice." Byakuya raised his hands in surrender, putting on a show and making Suika giggle.
"So, Papa, what other fun stuff can we do for Christmas?" Suika asked with big, curious eyes.
"I was wonderin' that myself. The traditions in Japan are a whole lot different than the ones back home."
"Hmm... let me think." Byakuya put his fingers to his chin in contemplation. After a moment or two, he got an idea.
"I've got it. Senku and Kohaku are sure to see illuminations all over Roppongi, but there's no reason they should have all the fun. As it just so happens, I know the perfect place to go see the ultimate in terms of light displays that either of you has or ever will see."
"Grab your coats. We're headed to Tokyo Mega Illumination!"
...
Kohaku was instantly dazzled by the sheer number of lights everywhere. The sight was purely breathtaking. She wanted to roam around freely and take it all in but didn't want to get separated from Senku and the others. She was so conflicted that she unwittingly squeezed Senku's hand.
He turned to her and instantly recognized the look of eagerness on her face.
"Tch, heh, heh."
His sudden laughter took Kohaku by surprise. "Senku?"
"You're so easy to read, it's ridiculous. Do you have my phone on you by any chance?"
"Hm? Of course. It's my most prized possession. I take it everywhere I go."
"Perfect. Hand it over."
She wasn't sure of his intentions but agreed and reached into her cleavage to retrieve the device—an audacious act that Senku didn't see coming. After shielding her from the public eye, he took the phone and shared its location to himself before handing it back to her.
"There. Just keep that phone on you, and I'll always know exactly where to find you. So go on and go nuts."
Kohaku was incredibly touched by his words. She gave him a hug and said a quick thanks before running off.
"Just don't go climbing on anything, or they'll kick us out," he called out to her. While it was more or less a joke, he still wouldn't put it past her.
Shortly thereafter, he caught up with his friends at the heavily decorated fir tree that stood just a ways past the entrance to the garden.
"There you are, slowpoke. Come and take a picture with us by the tree!" Taiju was far too chipper for Senku's liking.
"Hey, where's Kohaku?" asked Yuzuriha when she saw he was alone.
"She went on ahead. Said she really wanted to take it all in."
"BY HERSELF? DUDE~! That's not cool. You shouldn't let your date go off all on her own."
"He's right, Senku. What if something happens to her?"
"Relax, she'll be fine."
"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT! WE GOTTA GO LOOK FOR HER!"
Senku picked his ear in discomfort. Taiju's yelling would burst his eardrums one day. "Trust me, that lioness can take care of herself. Plus, I have her location."
After some convincing, those two finally got off his back. But unfortunately, without Kohaku there, that left Senku to be Taiju and Yuzuriha's third wheel, in addition to being surrounded by a mob of couples. Not to mention it was also two degrees outside, and he was freezing. It was the exact nightmare he had anticipated, and he was absolutely dreading this whole experience. But regardless, he pressed on until their little trio finally made it to the main attraction.
When they got there, his eyes instantly landed on a familiar mane of blonde hair. Kohaku was there, and she was utterly captivated by a shower of artificial snow and smoky bubbles. The sight of her as she delighted in it all was unlike anything he'd ever seen before and made Senku stop dead in his tracks. Then she turned in his direction, seeing him right away, and gave him the most radiant smile that put all those decorative lights to shame.
Suddenly, this whole outing didn't seem so terrible anymore. Senku gave her a contented smirk in return—one that Yuzuriha just so happened to witness.
She stayed watching them and was quite surprised when Kohaku came running back to him and took him by the arm. But even more surprising was the fact that Senku didn't seem to mind and allowed himself to be led by her. This wasn't the sort of behavior she would expect from him. Could there be something more between them, she wondered. She decided to keep an eye on them to alleviate her suspicions.
In the meantime, the four of them gathered together to enjoy the rest of the display as cascades of artificial snow and bubbles rained down upon them, simulating snowfall. Once it was over, they moved on and started to discuss their next move.
"Hey, we should go check out the ice rink," suggested Taiju.
"Yeah, that sounds like fun."
Kohaku made a puzzled face. "What's an ice rink?"
"Oh, you probably don't know what that means in Japanese, huh? Senku, can you translate?"
"It's a giant slab of ice you can glide on. But if you don't know what you're doing, you'll more than likely land flat on your ass," he explained crudely in English, showing little interest in the activity.
"Gliding on ice? How's that work?"
"It'll be easier to understand if you just see for yourself. C'mon, there's a bridge up ahead where you can get a good view of the rink."
One short trek later, they were up on the bridge watching a bunch of couples skating around.
"That looks like fun! I'd definitely like to give it a try."
"You sure about that, Lioness? It's not as easy as it looks."
"Hah! Even if something's difficult, that won't scare me into not trying. I wouldn't be here today if I just gave up so easily." Unaffected by Senku's discouraging remarks, she held her head high.
"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."
...
"Wow~! It's so pretty here, Papa!" Suika's eyes sparkled with fascination as she took in her surroundings.
The trio started off their visit to Tokyo Mega Illumination with a walk through Aurora Forest, a forest of illuminated artificial trees. The trees were leafless and all emitted an icy blue glow that gave them the appearance of glistening ice sculptures. There was also gentle music playing in the background, giving the whole place a tranquil feeling.
"Yeah, it's pretty and all. It's just... not to be mean or nothin', but considerin' the way you built this place up, I was expectin' somethin' a little flashier."
"Heh! Give it a minute."
Moments later, the artificial trees began to strobe on and off, gradually changing in color while the music grew into a crescendo. Suika and Lillian both looked around in surprise, wondering what was about to happen. Then, in the middle of the forest, a large tree that was previously shrouded in darkness came alight and captured both of their attentions.
This tree was massive and had a luminous, color-changing canopy that could easily captivate anyone who witnessed its majesty. And together with the smaller artificial trees, the whole forest came alive with color as the music turned festive. It was truly a sight to see. One that had even Lillian impressed.
"Ya know, I gotta admit. For a second there, I thought you were all talk. But that is really somethin' else."
"It kinda takes your breath away, right?"
Suika's eyes were wide with wonder. For the duration of the light show, she was completely entranced and couldn't look away, nor did she have any desire to do so. And when it was over, the disappointment on her face was obvious.
"Aww~! Papa, is it really over?" Suika asked with a pout.
"Oh, don't worry, Suika. This is just the beginning. There's a whole lot more to see. Now, c'mon! On to the next attraction."
From there, their little group moved on to an area with fountains. More specifically, they were rainbow fountains with lights that produce columns of colorful water several meters tall. Similar to the forest, the fountains were also synchronized to music and shot water in time to an orchestral score.
Later they came to a spot known as the Cherry Blossom Tunnel, a popular spot for taking photographs. The tunnel was one hundred meters of arching lights and cherry blossoms that gave a simulated experience of spring in Japan. Walking through the tunnel of glittering petals was like pure magic, and Byakuya had a hard time pulling the girls away from there.
Dozens of photos and two churros later, he was finally able to convince them. Next, they took a carriage ride around the grounds to enjoy the view of all the beautiful lights they had yet to see. By the time the carriage ride ended, their visit had extended to nearly two hours, and little Suika was having a hard time keeping herself from falling asleep in Byakuya's arms.
"Oh... looks like it's about time to go," noted Lillian.
"No, Momma! I don't..." Suika paused and let out a long yawn. "...wanna go."
"Don't worry, Suika. We can always come back another day. And next time we'll bring Kohaku and Senku along," promised Byakuya, patting her on the head.
"Really?" Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she hugged him around the neck. "Yay, Papa!"
Her sudden affection warmed Byakuya's heart. He hadn't experienced a situation even remotely like this in many years, and he had forgotten what it was like. He responded by nuzzling his cheek against hers, tickling her with his beard and making her giggle.
The scene of the two of them together brought a smile to Lillian's face. They looked like a genuine father and daughter, which made her think that Suika was better off staying with Byakuya after all. Meaning that pretty soon, she'd have to say goodbye. However, that thought alone weighed heavily on her heart.
...
Kohaku watched as Taiju and Yuzuriha made it on to the ice with no problem. They glided around so effortlessly, making her eager to join in. However, her inability to tie laces meant Senku had to do it for her, which he only did after they were alone.
Once her laces were fastened, he helped her get to her feet, and Kohaku awkwardly marched toward the ice in her skates. She stepped into the rink with every confidence in herself but quickly learned just how right Senku was and fell down immediately.
She tried her best to stand but kept slipping and sliding. Her only recourse was to use the barrier wall for support and get shakily to her feet. Senku couldn't help but chuckle at her expense. Normally her cat-like reflexes made her quick and agile, but none of that was gonna help her on the ice without proper form and coordination.
Her current clumsiness reminded him of the first time she set foot in a rowboat and how she freaked out and clung to him for stability. Remembering that time brought him a great deal of amusement, which Kohaku mistook as him making fun of her.
"Don't laugh at me, you scum." She shot him a menacing glare.
"I told you it was harder than it looks."
"Right. You implied it would be a challenge, not impossible."
"Tch, heh, heh. What happened to all that confidence from before? You ready to give up now?"
"Hah! Not a chance. I'll get the hang of it eventually." She let go of the wall and actually managed to stay upright. "There, see. I'm getting better already."
"Bravo, Lioness. You made progress. Now, why don't you actually try moving?" he challenged.
Kohaku was determined to prove her capability and attempted to lift her foot, but this was a huge mistake, and she immediately lost her balance, falling on her butt again.
"Pfft, heh, heh." Senku laughed uncontrollably at her. "I was wrong. You should definitely keep at it."
Kohaku glared daggers at him. "Bastard! At least I'm trying. I'd like to see you do better."
Meanwhile, from afar, Yuzuriha and Taiju watch this scene unfold, and Taiju immediately makes a move to go and help, but Yuzuriha tells him to wait. While Kohaku uses the wall to stand up again, Senku goes off to the rental station. A short while later, he's on the ice giving her tips on the basics of skating.
"Looks like Senku's got it," she tells her boyfriend, and they go back to enjoying their couple's skate.
.
"Alright, Lioness, the most important thing to remember when skating is keeping your knees bent. You also wanna keep your feet close together."
"You mean like this?" She let go of the wall and did as he suggested, successfully managing to stay on her feet.
"Good, now keep your knees bent and lean forward slightly."
Again she followed his instructions, and much to her surprise, she started going forward.
"Senku, look! I'm moving." Kohaku was so excited that she forgot all about her earlier anger.
At the same time, Senku also felt a sense of satisfaction. "Great, now let's move on to actual gliding."
He came to stand in front of her and took her by the hands, pulling her along as she practiced lifting her feet off the ice. Little by little she started getting the hang of it and would occasionally pick up speed or take longer strides. She was making excellent progress to where eventually, she didn't need to rely on holding Senku's hand at all.
After going nearly a half hour without falling, Kohaku gained enough confidence to test her limits. She leaned heavily into every glide and picked up significant speed. So much so that Senku couldn't keep up with her. This spelled trouble as they hadn't covered how to make a full stop yet. Unfortunately, by the time Kohaku realized her mistake, it was too late. All she could do was warn the people ahead of her who skidded out of her way.
"KOHAKU, COME TO THE INNER RINK." Senku ordered, heading there himself. He had a plan to stop her.
With a bit of effort and a few casualties who fell because of her, she made it to the inner rink. Now it was time to put his plan into action. In order to stop her, he would put himself in the line of fire and intercept her path.
He began skating directly toward her at top speed. When Kohaku realized that they were on a collision course, her eyes widened in alarm.
"SENKUUU...!"
"QUICK, HOLD OUT YOUR ARM!"
She did as he said, and right as they were about to collide, Senku swerved and grabbed her arm with both hands, forcing them into a spin. They went around in circles several times as he fought to reduce their velocity until they eventually came to a full stop.
Once they were safe, Kohaku looked at Senku with such relief that she was practically on the verge of tears. Grateful for his quick thinking, she latched onto him like her life depended on it. Unfortunately, her weight was too much for him to bear, and they both came crashing down onto the ice.
"Damn, Lioness. What the hell were you thinking?" He tried his best to sit upright, but Kohaku had him pinned.
"I'm sorry, Senku. I created a situation where I put myself and others in danger, and you managed to save me again. Thank you for that. And thank you for being someone I can count on."
After expressing her gratitude, Kohaku hovered over him and started inching her face closer.
Senku panicked, fully aware of what she meant to do. "Hey, Kohaku, wait!"
Luckily for him, his friends decided to show up at that exact moment to interrupt.
"Are you two okay?" Yuzuriha's face was the picture of concern.
"Yeah, you guys took a nasty spill. Here, lemme help you up." Taiju didn't even wait for a reply before lifting each of them and setting them back on their feet.
"Thanks, Big Oaf. I don't know about the rest of you, but I've pretty much had my fill of skating for one day."
"What? Already? But I've still got a ton of energy. You wanna skate some more too, don't you, Kohaku?" Taiju turned to her for backup.
"Actually, I have to agree with Senku."
"Aww... no way. So, what'll we do now?"
"I know! There's a Christmas market at the park nearby. Why don't we go check it out?"
Taiju's eyes lit up instantly. "That's a great idea, Yuzuriha! C'mon! What are we waiting for?" He took his girlfriend by the hand and started leading her to the rink's exit.
"HEY! WAIT UP, YOU BIG OAF!" Despite raising his voice, Senku's request went unheeded. "Tch, damn meathead. Come on, Lioness. Looks like we're playing catch-up again."
He began to head for the exit when he felt a sudden tug on his coat. Turning around, he found Kohaku gripping onto the hem with her gaze downcast and her bangs obscuring her eyes.
"Umm... Senku? Can you help me? You know... like before? I'm afraid of going out of control again."
Senku sighed and took her hand, pulling her along. He could tell from her lack of eye contact that she had gotten bent out of shape. "Listen, don't get discouraged 'cause of one bad experience. All you need is more practice and a lesson in stopping."
Kohaku raised her head and smiled. She was so pleased to hear him encourage her rather than scold her. "Will you teach me?"
"Sure. But some other time."
"Does that mean we can come back?"
"Heh, heh. Yeah, if they don't ban us after your little stunt," he teased, making Kohaku blush in embarrassment.
The actual rink exit was too narrow for two people, so Senku went first and turned to offer her a hand. She accepted his help but even still, found herself stumbling when she slid off the ice and onto the rubber mat outside. Luckily, Senku was there to break her fall.
She looked up at him and found him smirking at her. It felt shockingly similar to the first time she set foot on a boat. He was there to catch her that time as well. It was the first time she ever set foot off the island and most probably the instant she started feeling something more for him. Kohaku couldn't help but smile as well.
After returning their rental skates, they made their way to the park where they met up with the others who were already browsing the souvenir stalls.
Senku had no real interest in shopping and was forced to simply tag along. Not only that, but the temperature had only continued to drop as the night progressed. He couldn't resist the cold much longer and started shivering.
"Senku, what's wrong? You're shaking."
Kohaku's remark caught his friend's attention.
"Shaking? Oh no! Are you sick?" Taiju was already panicking, assuming the worst.
Kohaku gasped in alarm. "You're sick? Here, let me..."
"NO!" Senku yelled when Kohaku tried to grab his face, knowing exactly what she intended to do. "I'm not sick, just cold. My body heat is dropping, and I need something to replenish my energy. Something like a hot chocolate will do."
"Got it. ONE HOT CHOCOLATE COMING UP!"
"Taiju, wait! I'll go with you; that way we can all have one." Yuzuriha chased after him.
The line for hot beverages was pretty long, so they were forced to wait. After a while, Kohaku picked up on the scent of something, which made her mouth water. She followed her nose and ended up at a stall selling something strange-looking covered in white powder.
"Lioness, don't just..." Senku was about to scold her for walking off without a word when he noticed what caught her attention. "Oh, that's called Stollen."
"Stollen? What's that?"
"It's a type of bread filled with fruits and nuts."
"It smells really good." Kohaku took a deep whiff, savoring the aroma.
"Curious how it tastes? Wanna try some?"
"Can I?" Her eyes gleamed in anticipation.
"Wait here."
After a few minutes, he came back with a gift bag in hand. He reached in and pulled out a slice of the bread and handed it to her. She didn't even think twice before taking a bite. The taste was nothing like she'd ever experienced before. She even teared up a bit at how delicious it was.
Senku laughed to himself, amused by her reaction. They went back to their original waiting spot and enjoyed the rest of it together. A short while later, the others returned with four cups of hot chocolate, one for each of them. And of course, Kohaku nearly burned her tongue on hers if Senku hadn't blocked her from taking a sip.
Once cooled, she had a taste and swooned over how good it was. And it also paired really well with the Stollen, making the flavors dance together on her tongue. She was incredibly pleased and happily enjoyed her snacks while they continued exploring the market.
Although Senku wasn't looking to buy anything, one particular stall happened to catch his eye. It belonged to a vendor selling cat-themed items. While the others were distracted, he snuck off to take a closer look and came across something that screamed "lioness". Remembering his father's suggestions, he decided to buy it and give it to her when they were alone. Then, shortly after rejoining the others, Senku got a phone call.
"Hey, Senku~. Am I... interrupting anything?" It was Byakuya on the other end, making sleazy remarks again. Rather than answer, he just hung up on him. It didn't take long for him to call again.
"What do you want, old man? I'm not in the mood for your crap."
"Is that your dad? HEY, MR. ISHIGAMI!"
"Can you not shout in my ear, you big oaf?" Senku picked his ear in irritation.
"Taiju's there? What about Yuzuriha? Did you guys run into them? Wow, what a coincidence!"
"Yeah, it's a freakin' Christmas miracle. Now, what is it?" His patience was wearing thin.
"I'm just calling to give you the good news. You've officially fulfilled your obligation. You two can come home anytime. And bring your friends too. There'll even be fried chicken waiting for all of you. "
"Great. And perfect timing too." Senku hung up without saying goodbye and turned to Kohaku. "Hey, Lioness. Time to go. Dinner's waiting."
"Dinner?" Kohaku grew excited at the mere mention of food.
"Yeah, we're having fried chicken. And you two are also welcome to come."
"ALRIGHT! THAT'S AWESOME!"
"That means I get to meet Lillian!" Yuzuriha was beyond excited. "I'll call and tell my parents right now!"
While waiting for their taxi, Senku sent a text to his father, filling him in on the story he gave his friends and warning him not to say anything about what happened on Cat Island or the fact that Kohaku and Suika are bakeneko. And he especially warned him not to bring up his relationship with Kohaku.
...
Back at the apartment, the four of them were greeted by Byakuya. He was the ultimate host when it came to receiving Taiju and Yuzuriha as guests, offering small talk, and making them feel welcome. However, when it came to Senku, he barely had enough time to remove his coat before his father started grilling him.
"So~? How'd it go? Did you two have fun on your date?"
"What do you think? It was crowded and cold. Went about as well as you would expect." Senku kept his answers vague and unenthusiastic.
Kohaku, on the other hand, was more than happy to recount the events of their evening. "Don't listen to him. We had a great time! We saw lights and snow, went ice skating, and then we went to a market where I got to try hot chocolate and something called Stollen."
"Wow! Sounds like you all had quite the evening. So you have fun, Kohaku?"
"Yes. I sure did!" She gave a curt nod.
"I'm glad. And I can't believe you actually got Senku to go ice skating. Talk about a Christmas miracle. I haven't been able to convince him to go skating since he was in grade school."
"That's because I only ever had an interest in learning about the physics behind it. And since I just so happened to be studying Newton's Laws of Motion at the time, I figured I'd learn how to do it myself so I can explore each law through first-hand experience. I had zero interest in taking it up as a hobby." Senku explained while picking his ear.
"Heh, when you put it that way, it only makes it all the more surprising that you would actually cave and join in. But I guess it's harder to turn down a request when it's coming from your girlfriend. Isn't that right, Senku?" Byakuya gave a mischievous grin, knowing full well he had blown Senku's cover.
"GIRLFRIEND?!" Senku's friends questioned simultaneously.
Senku immediately narrowed his eyes at his father. "You just had to open your big mouth, didn't you, geezer?"
"You mean Senku didn't tell you?" he asked, playing dumb.
"He and Kohaku are officially an item. Why, it was practically love at first sight. Those two are so devoted to each other that Kohaku's gonna be moving to Japan. In fact, her parents have already agreed to an engagement, so she's more like Senku's fiancée." Byakuya kept laying it on thick.
"WHAAAAT?! YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED?!" Taiju was more than incredulous.
"Wow... I knew there might be something going on between you two... but I never would've suspected this," Yuzuriha murmured to herself.
"You see what you've done now, old man? Quit making shit up!" Senku berated his father.
"What's all the yellin' about?" At that moment, Lillian came bursting out of the kitchen.
The room went deathly silent, and given her already vulnerable state, Yuzuriha suddenly fainted.
"YUZURIHA!"
To be continued...
A/N: Here's part 2 of 3. Hope you enjoyed it. Part 3 is already up on my Patre0n and the URL can be found on my profile.
Thanks so much for reading and I'll catch you in the final update.